Love Me, Love You
by ncisduckie
Summary: A one-shot collection featuring Kyoko/Ren drabbles. Unrelated reads about Love Me Number One and Tokyo's Most Desirable. KyokoRen Week 2017 Participant.
1. Ours, Not Yours

**Ours, Not Yours**

 **A/N: Once again for Knight of Tuxedo because I screwed up and wrote for the wrong fandom. I don't keep up with ship names so I suppose it's my fault (it' all my fault and I feel terrible).**

 **. . .**

By the time I could make my way home after filming wrapped, it was way too dark and I was way too tired to deal with the concept of being subtle about my arrival. In the back of my mind I know I'm going to need to apologize in the morning for making such a scene at such an ungodly hour. But at this point I think I deserve it. One of the new actresses kept getting NG'd through her scenes-prolonging all of our nights.

We made it through though. And that's all that matters in the long run.

Stripping myself of my stuffy clothing, I don't even bother to take the time to look for sleepwear. I only have a few hours of sleep before I have to be up and I plan on sleeping every possible minute of it.

I slip under the covers and freeze when I finally realize the warm lump beside me in bed. Opening my eyes, my cheeks flush and I become hyper aware of the fact I'm only wearing a bra and panties. Yet this situation is only slightly worse than the one we were almost a year ago. "Re-en, why are you naked in my bed?" I whisper, nestling closer and running my finger through his mess of hair.

He grins first before peeping his eyes open sleepily. "I was waiting for you," Ren murmurs as he wraps an arm around my waist and begins to play with the hemline of my panties.

Of course he was. "But you're naked," I remind him, tracing his jawline with my fingertips before moving farther down to outline the muscles of his chest. "And once again, in _my bed_."

" _Our_ bed."

And with that he wraps his other arm around me and rolls my body so i lay against his chest. I can feel his whole body beneath me and I shiver happily. Kissing his cheek, I snuggle closer and wrap my arms around his neck. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that little detail."

 **-FIN-**

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	2. Thank You

**Thank You**

 **A/N: Kind of sort of spoilers for ch. 224? Kind of? Probably not, it just kicks in where it left off.**

 **. . .**

My shout escaped my lips as soon as I realized my mistake. No... this is a mistake. I was just hugging Corn. But obviously not because this, this is Tsuruga-san. I can only imagine how violated he feels-having me cling to him so improperly and so closely. "Please forgive me, Tsuruga-san!" I wail, falling to my knees into a dogeza.

"Mogami-san, please get off the floor."

"Eh?" I look up, expecting to see his gentleman's fake smile. What I am not expecting is the same sheepish look he gave me when I first realized it was him. Sheepish isn't a good look for him. "B-But Tsuruga-san, I acted so unprofessionally with you, I-" Blood rushes to my cheeks and my eyes fall to the ground. "I _hugged you_ ," I choke out.

"I hugged you back," he volleys back easily. And...he's right. It makes so much sense now. He hesitated briefly when I clung to him but in the end he wrapped his arms around me. Around _me_. My head buzzes with the thought.

 _What does that mean? Does it mean anything?_ Tsuruga-san is my senpai...and it makes sense that a senpai would console their kouhai, right? It doesn't have to mean anything. Not if he doesn't want it to. He was just trying me make me feel better like...like that time Reino taunted me about Corn.

"Mogami-san," he whispers. Whispers. Hmm? It's then I notice the obvious warmth at my side.

Looking up, Tsuruga-san's face is inches away from mine. I freeze. "W-why are you down here?" I whisper back, not trusting my voice at full volume. If I were to speak regularly I fear my flustered self would be too evident.

He smiles. It's a genuine smile, one that makes me shiver. "You won't get up, so I joined you down here."

Blinking, I realize he's sitting cross legged opposite me. "You didn't have to do that. I would have gotten up." _Eventually-when I gain feeling back to my legs_ , I add silently.

"I did it because I wanted to."

We sit in silence. Even the streets are quiet just for us. I study him and he stares back at me. The two of us like this must look like fools, sitting in the middle of the park. But it's nice. Far better than thinking of...that. What my mother said. On national television. Cringing, I try to force myself to hold in another bout of tears. There's no reason to embarrass myself in front of Tsuruga-san again. I look away from him and instead direct my gaze to the traffic lights behind him as I feel the tears spring back up.

"You saw the show, didn't you?"

All I can manage is a nod.

And suddenly I'm warm again.

It's him. Tsuruga's arms wrap around me and slowly I feel my resolve weakening. He feels safe-as if as long as I'm in his arms, nothing can touch me. I inch my arms up from my side and return his hug. "I'll be here for you whenever you need. Always." His whisper tickles at the crown of my head and I tighten my grasp around his torso. I cannot vocalize how much his words mean to me. Not just as his kouhai. Not just a girl in love. But as the girl who desperately needed to hear those words.

"Thank you. For everything."

 **. . .**

 **A/N: Ackkkk! I don't know how well I worked with characterizations but I really like what wrote and I hope you guys enjoyed it!**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	3. Having Your Way

**Having Your Way**

 **A/N: I'm not going to talk about how many times I've reread 171-173 in the past two days. It's not a healthy number, let's leave it at that. So here's an alternative version! Please Enjoy!**

 **. . .**

"You may not know this, but when a man gives a woman a gift of clothes it means he had ulterior motives." Tsuruga-san looks me up and down from his seat across from me. I feel a shiver run up my spine. I knew he was mad, but about Kijima-san giving me clothes? "It means he wants to have his way with you. Just because Kijima volunteered doesn't mean you should wear what he gave you."

His eyebrows furrow together and his eyes once again evaluate my attire. I suddenly feel naked. I shrink further into my couch and pull my arms to my chest. He doesn't mean? Kijima-san wanting to have-no. That can't be it. "B-but he-he didn't _give_ me thi-"

Tsuruga-san's anger flares. "He paid money to dress you up. _It's the same thing_."

Is it? My eyebrows shoot up and I feel my cheeks flushing. "I'm sorry! I was so careless and irresponsible and I-" I stop. But what about... Setsu's spirit pushes at my mind, reminding me of last week. She's right.

"Mogami-san?"

I look up to my concerned senpai and I almost laugh. First he berates me for letting Kijima play dress up with me, and now he's worried because I stop mid-apology? He needs to pick a side. Pulling my shoulders back, I tilt my head as I take my time studying him. Of course, he looks effortlessly handsome. I can't help but wonder what I would be wearing right now if Tsuruga-san had dressed me up instead of Kijima. Would we compliment each other like we do when we're the Heel Siblings?

Images of our trip to Jeanne d'Arc replay in my head: from my attempts to disturb him by picking out the most expensive outfit in the store to his throwing pants and an undershirt. How he, by the end of the night, had bought me three pairs of pants and several blouses. With his logic...his buying me clothes can only mean one thing.

"Tsuruga-san," I start, looking him back in his eyes. My lips pull into a smile and I look at him curiously. "Does that mean you want to have _your_ way with me?"

And for the second time tonight, he looks surprised at what I have to offer. But it doesn't last as I had hoped. Well, as long as _Setsu_ had hoped.

He stands up and I jump in surprise. Did I make him mad? Maybe I shouldn't have let Setsu whisper to me. I didn't want to come to such impure conclusions-especially not concerning Tsuruga-san. I squeeze my eyes shut and wait for his anger to take over the room. But it never does.

No, instead I feel a sudden warmth surround me. "Huh?"

I open my eyes and try not to squeal as I realize Tsuruga-san's face a mere centimeters away from my own. He leans forward, his arms trapping me on the small sofa. There's a familiar light behind his eyes and I recognize it instantly. I've made a grave mistake. The Emperor of the Night has made his appearance.

I don't even have time to pull away from him before he dives closer, his lips brushing against my right ear before traveling down to my neck. He kisses my skin gently, leaving a fire lingering on my skin. "Shall I," he kisses me this time at my jawline. I forget how to breathe. "have my way with you right here?"

He pulls away and rests his forehead against mine. My heart pounds in my chest and I wonder if he can hear it so close to me. I look at him through my lashes and will myself not to blush in a thousand shades of red. Is he serious right now? 

"Tsu-Tsuruga-san?" I whimper. He must be teasing me again, but my heart can't help but flutter at the possibility of him wanting to have his way with me. Why is it that he can go and play with my feelings so easily? Isn't he the one who wants me to protect my purity?

"Mogami-san," he breathes. His eyes clear themselves of their dark gaze and I think he finally realizes our situation. "I'm sorry," he whispers quickly, stepping away from me. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Of course not, we're in public."

The words slip out before I can stop them and I know deep inside the box has once again been unlocked by _him_. Otherwise I would have never said such a thing. But it's too late now. I can only wait for him to get mad at m-

Except his anger doesn't flare out. Instead, when I meet his eyes, he smiles.

 **. . .**

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	4. Stamps and Promises

**Stamps and Promises**

 **A/N: I'm very good at sitting all day and reading Skip Beat fanfic, maybe one day I should write more than a one-shot collection. Today, however, is not that day. This one's kind of sort of based off of 225 and 226? I just kind of ran with things. Please enjoy!**

 **. . .**

"The stamp you promised me-may I have it now?"

I blink. She smiles, pointing her palm where I can make out the slightest smudge of ink. And it all comes back to me. Guam. My promise of a stamp. "You remembered." It almost doesn't seem real. I was sure she would've forgotten about an insignificant LoveMe stamp as soon as she returned to her busy schedule. After all, that's why she left Guam in the first place.

Kyoko looks at me with wide eyes and her wide grin drops as pink dusts her cheek bones. "Of course I remembered! Tsuruga-san promised!" Her eyes fall to her feet and speaks her next words to her toes. "And a promise from Tsuruga-san is important."

"Oh?"

It takes all my effort not to reach out and embrace her. However, I allow a smile to slip. Despite knowing better than to take her words the wrong way- even if it's just for a moment, I'll entertain the idea of being special in her mind.

She doesn't respond. Instead she turns and points to the door. "My stamp book is inside," she murmurs. I nod despite her refusal to meet my eyes. Should I offer to wait outside? No. We moved past avoiding each other the minute we stepped in the hotel room.

"May I come inside?"

"Of course!"

Kyoko's head whips around and I can see the deep red that stretches across her cheeks. "I couldn't possibly leave my senpai out waiting for his kouhai! Especially when you're such a public figure that attracts as much attention as you d-"

"Mogami-san." I sigh and run a hand through my hair, trying to stop her erratic thoughts. "I just want to make sure you're alright. Don't worry about me. Please."

For a moment I think she's going to object and I try to calculate my next step. She's always worrying about everybody else. But tonight I want Kyoko to worry about Kyoko. And nobody else.

"Tsuruga-san?"

I look into her eyes and attempt to place the expression in her eyes. But it's something unlike anything I've seen from her. Is she going to push me away? Tell me to leave? I can't even bring myself to respond.

"Thank you."

Her smile once again spreads across her lips and she pushes the door open to reveal a small dining area. "Kyoko-chan? Is that you?" A voice calls out from inside. A stocky, older woman comes running into the room with panic engraved into her face. How long has Kyoko been out for her to have been this worried?

"Okami-san!" Kyoko launches herself forward and into the woman's arms, squeezing tight. "I'm sorry for worrying you, but I'm alright. I promise." The brunette turns to me and offers a dazzling smile to her landlord. "Tsuruga-san brought me home safely!"

The older woman smiles and a mystified look crosses over her features as she looks me over. "Tsuruga Ren," she breathes. She looks at me with a sense of familiarity that goes beyond seeing my face on a television or magazine cover. Instead, she looks at me as if she knows everything about me. Perhaps Kyoko has spoken of me? "You were on Dark Moon with Kyoko-chan."

"That, I was," I smile. "Acting with Mogami-san was a pleasure."

"Ts-Tsuruga-saaan," Kyoko whines, her face flaming. She opens her mouth and I expect her to scold me about my open compliment. However, she instead shakes herself off and squares her shoulders. "Please wait here, I'll go get my stamp book." Before I can reply, she's off and I can hear her feet run up the stairs. And that leaves me alone with the older woman. 'Okami-san', as Kyoko has dubbed her.

"Thank you for bringing her home."

I turn, surprised to hear the woman speak to me without Kyoko present. We haven't spoken before, seeing as I usually wait for Kyoko in my car when I pick her up. Even at the Grateful Party, we hardly exchanged pleasantries without Kyoko to urging us to do so first. Her eyes are warm as she smiles at me.

"Kyoko-chan appreciates all you do for her, you know. Especially the rose you gave her." She winks, as if we're sharing a secret. " _Especially_ 'Princess Rosa'."

My heart pounds in my chest. She told her landlord about my gift?

"I'm back!" Kyoko calls, rushing back into the room with her small notebook pressed against her chest. Her breathing comes heavily and her air is swept wild across her forehead. She looks more beautiful than usual, if even possible. The corners of my lips perk up.

The older woman, forgotten in Kyoko's reappearance says something. I don't quite hear her words, but she leaves the room with a grin. All I can focus on is the girl in front of me who looks up at me with a smile. All hints of her tears from earlier are gone. It's enviable, her strength. She's come so far from the girl she used to be.

We stand in silence, gazing at each other for moments before Kyoko remembers why she invited me in the first place. "Here!" She chirps, thrusting the book in my direction. She pulls the case of stamps from her pocket and surrenders them over as well.

I nod and take the items carefully from her fingers. "Right." Pulling the blank stamp from the plastic, I flip the book open to a blank page. Stamping the pink ink down, I pull a pen from my jacket pocket and carefully draw an infinity sign before writing out my sentiments:

 _I can't give enough points. You worked very hard!_

"Ahh, it looks good on paper!" She exclaims.

Looking at her curiously, I hand the book back. "Is my stamp that important?"

Kyoko holds up the book, pointing to the freshly drawn mark. "Tsuruga-san! It's only with this mark that I feel alright! This is a mark of incalculable and infinite possibility! It represents success!" She tilts her head to the side and smiles. "I feel like I can take on the world!"

"Really?" My eyebrows raise and I feel my eyes narrow at her proclamation. After all, it's just a stamp from her senpai.

She nods furiously. "Yes! This mark is very special because Tsuruga-san gave it to me!" Her cheeks once again speckle themselves with a bright pink as she gazes at me. "I feel like you've granted me with some of your magic!"

I freeze. My magic? I thought the only one with magic was her Corn? When did she decide I had magic? Unless...

"You don't know?" Setting the book down, Kyoko pokes my chest. "You have fairy blood in there, I'm sure of it!"

Capturing her hand in one of my own, I smile at her. "Do I? What does that mean?"

"We-Well, it explains your unparalleled talent and your godly looks and ability to transform into each chara-"

But I stopped listening to her at "godly looks". My grin broadens. She thinks I'm attractive? I drop her hands. "Thank you, Mogami-san."

"Huh?" She stops in her explanation of my fairy lineage and her eyes widen. "What are you thanking me for? You're the one who deserves thanks!"

I decide to stop her before she gets ahead of herself. "Nope."

The confusion in her golden eyes makes my heart ache. Does she not remember why I gave her her stamp? Surely that's not the case. Hoping to prove myself wrong, I lift my hand from my side and tousle her short hair just as I did when we acted as siblings. "You were a lovely sister, Mogami-san. You helped me more than I imagined, _that's_ why I gave you your stamp." Her eyes widen momentarily before her face is overtaken by a large grin. "Please remember our time together," I whisper.

And in the back of my mind I want her to remember more than the numbered hours we spent on set. Instead, I want her to remember the countless hours we spent in our hotel room: talking, flirting (as normal siblings do), and simply living together. I want her to remember not the fear she felt for me when Kuon took over while I acted out BJ-but the afternoons we spent shopping, hand in hand.

"I'll be sad to let Setsu go."

"Don't let her go just yet."

Kyoko looks up to me with furrowed brows.

"The movie premiere will be before they out Cain Heel as Tsuruga Ren-and _Cain_ needs a date." Taking my chances, I pull her closer to me and bend down so my lips tickle at her earlobe. " _I promise to spoil you at least one more time, Setsu_."

Love Me Number One pulls away from me and I'm afraid I ruined all the progress she's made tonight. But instead of fear plastering her face, Kyoko's face falls into one of Setsu's trademark smirks. " _I wouldn't have it any other way, onii-san._ "

And as quick as Setsu came to play, Kyoko quickly brushes her away.

"Thank you, Tsuruga-san. But I can't have all the thanks. You helped me as well," She grins, reaching for her stamp book through my confusion. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary to help her that I'm aware of. Not like she helped me, giving me all of her heart whenever we were alone. Her fingers flip past my own stamp and she grabs my forgotten pen from the counter. In seconds, she recreates the stamp I drew on her hand before tearing it out and offering it to me. "I know you're not a LoveMe member, but I can't repay you right now the way I want to. Please take this until I can thank you properly."

Smiling, I take the heart shaped paper from her fingers and slip it into my pocket. "Thank you, Mogami-san." Maybe one day I'll have the words to thank her as much as I want to-for saving me from my evil.

But for today a stamp and a new promise will have to do.

It's going to have to.

 **-FIN-**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	5. Warmth

**Warmth**

 **A/N: I've been obsessively reading the Natsu arc. Like. Over and over and over. I love it! And when I was going over it again, I thought of this! Hopefully you guys like it! :O Please enjoy!**

 **. . .**

"It's not going to bite, Mogami-san."

I narrow my eyes at the offending item in my senpai's hands and shake my head. If the cold hadn't rendered me unable to do anything but shiver- I would adamantly refuse his offer. This is inappropriate! How can he expect a pure maiden such as myself to accept such a proposal?

He looks down at me and something crosses his face. Anger? No. Not that. Perhaps... annoyance? "You're going to get sick," he says matter-of-factly. As if _he_ knows what gets someone sick. Once again I shake my head, tightening my arms around my torso. He sighs. "Do you want to inconvenience the crew for your new drama?"

My eyes widen. After all the trouble I've already caused them... I couldn't make the situation worse by coming in with a cold. Kaori-san already hates me. And I don't think I'll be able to handle middle school repeating on set.

Holding my hands out, I accept defeat. I might as well accept shame now instead of later when there are more witnesses. Vicious witnesses.

The sweater settles against my fingertips and I stare at the beige material. It's most definitely Tsuruga-san's sweater. Specifically one I only see after particularly long nights of filming Dark Moon. What I _can't_ see is how he expects me to wear it when it's so obviously something he uses. _Especially_ after he already insisted helping me take my shoes off at the door.

 _Thump_.

I stagger back as another weight plops into my outstretched arms. Looking up, I only see Tsuruga-san's back as he walks away. "Use the blanket too," he calls over his shoulder, not giving me a chance to try to argue. "I'll go make coffee." It's all he said- but I heard the underlying message in his words: _You better be in that sweater by the time I come back._

Rather than face the Demon King, I know the smarter choice is to simply get it over with. I make my way to the couch. _I can wear a sweater. It's not hard. It's_ just _a sweater._

But in the back of my head, I cringe. It's not _just_ a sweater. I can't fake that it's normal, seeing it's definitely more than just a stupid sweater. It's _Tsuruga-san's_ sweater. Hmph. If I keep thinking that I'll never put this on.

No. It's my _senpai's_ sweater. He offered it to me because he doesn't want me to embarrass myself by getting sick so early into production. That's it. I don't have to worry about anything inappropriate happening. He's just being a caring senpai. _As always_. I smile. Setting the blanket down on the couch, I pull the soft sweater over my head. It hangs loose over my body even with all the layers I already have on and falls almost to the hem of my skirt. Standing like this it's hard to forget Tsuruga-san is so much taller than I am.

Sitting at the edge of the couch I can feel a warmth wash over me. It feels much like when he consoled me after the Beagle insisted my Corn was dead. The combination of this satisfying feeling and his scent- I can begin to feel my limbs again. Pulling his blanket over my frozen legs only enhances this feeling.

Maybe it's magic.

It has to be. Magic, that is. Because the longer I sit here-the more confident I become about coming here tonight. Surely I will create my own Natsu, one that can stand her own against Mio's being. Once again I am indebted to the great Tsuruga Ren. Closing my eyes, I settle farther into the plush couch. _I just wish I could properly thank him_.

"Hopefully this helps, Mogami-san."

I open my eyes to see Tsuruga-san sitting on the couch across from the one I'm on. He holds out a steaming glass cup, waiting for me to accept it. A smile stretches across my face. "Thank you!" I exclaim as I pull the cup into my hands and allow the steam to tickle my cheek bones.

He looks at me, arching an eyebrow. "You haven't even tried it."

A warm flush settles in over my cheeks. I shake my head. "Not for the coffee." Looking down at the dark coffee, I try to hide my reddening face. "For accepting me tonight," I amend in a quiet whisper. _And for sharing your warmth with me once again_.

 **. . .**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? REQUESTS? Leave a review! :)**


	6. Someone Else

**Someone Else**

 **A/N: This is for** **nolayelde** **on tumblr for requesting such a great idea. Like. I'm actually very pleased about this request. I'm so sorry that it took this long to get it to you though!**

 **To the rest of you all, Please Enjoy! :)**

 **98\. "I can't watch you with someone else. It's tearing me apart."**

 **. . .**

"What do you want from me?" I plead, prying my arm from Shotaro's grasp. He's followed me straight into the Daryuma and my only solace is that today is the off day. Meaning, luckily, nobody would be able to see this hideous display.

If he followed me into the dinner rush-oh, I can only imagine what the tabloids would say. A shudder runs up my spine. I can only imagine what _Tsuruga-san_ would say. Probably something along the lines of-

"I-I can't watch you with someone else, Kyoko. It's tearing me apart!"

Tears rim his usually cold eyes and for a moment I want to believe him. It sounds so much like something old Kyoko would have wanted to say: it's utterly romantic in prospect and is honestly more fit for one of Tsuruga-san's dramas than my life. _He wants me back as a maid_ , I remind myself bitterly. Then the weight of his words hit me like a brick. _I can't watch you with someone else_. What does that even mean?

I narrow my eyes. "I'm not "with" anybody," I grit though my teeth. Really? Where would he even get such an idea? "And even if I was-I hardly think that's any of your business!" I mean, really! The nerve! He thinks he can walk into my home and push his so-called feelings at me? Who does he think he is? He pushed me to the ground, not the otherway around. There's no way that he has the right to demand my full attention like this!

Shotaro looks at me with wide, unblinking eyes. "Then what about that pinhead actor you're always with?"

"Excuse me?"

An ugly shade of red rushed to is face. "Don't make me say his name," he seethes through his teeth. But I still don't know, raising my eyebrows high. And that's when he bursts. "Tsuruga Ren! You're with that lift wearing actor, aren't you? AREN'T YOU?"

Oh.

 _Oh_.

My cheeks heat up and I start furiously shaking my head. No. No. No. He obviously came to the wrong conclusion somewhere between his filming location and here. Definitely the wrong conclusion. "I-I-I-I'm not _with_ Tsur-Tsurug-."

"It's okay, Mogami-san. You're allowed to admit that I'm here with you.

I freeze, my body tensing and paling to what I can only presume to be an ashy shade of beige. _Of all the days_. Of all the days to forget about meeting Tsuruga-san, of _course_ it's today. In front of me, Shotaro's whole frame erupts in a cherry tomato red. Now why could have have been so stupid as to lead Shotaro right into the lion's den? Tsuruga-san is going to be soooooo mad at me. I was so stupid.

Slowly, I turn over my shoulder briefly and offer my senpai a weak smile. "G-Good afternoon, Tsuruga-san."

" _If you're not "with Tsuruga Ren why is he_ here _?_ " My ex flame shouts begin to fill the room. However, I can't seem to extend him my attention any longer. Instead. my eyes remain plastered on my senpai. A million and one questions bombard my mind:

 _Why did he have to speak up?_

 _Does he have any understanding of what he just implied?_

And then the worst thought comes to mind, causing me to momentarily forget all about the musician in the front lounge.

 _How mad is he about me letting Shotaro following me in_?

But searching Tsuruga's eyes, I see none of his fake smiles that accompany his fury and make me cower in absolute fear. In fact, he seems totally unconcerned with the scene Sho is causing. I finally allow myself to relax and offer a full, proper smile to my senpai. And today? He gifts me with one of his dazzling genuine smiles. I don't even flinch.

" _What the hell?_ " Shotaro jumps between us and shoots me a dirty look. "You guys are looking at each other!"

It takes all my effort not to roll my eyes. So he can understand the concept of sight. Shoko has taught him well, I see. A polite response on my side would have required the energy than I can even dream of mustering. Luckily, I can count on Tsuruga-senpai for handling such things with copious amounts of grace and maturity that I can only be jealous.

"Of course we're looking at each other-that's what people do when they're together." He smirks, eyeing the musician up and down. "You might want to learn about it sometime."

 _Okay maybe not maturity. But at least fineness is a Tsuruga specialty._

Shotaro sputters, looking between me and Tsuruga-san so quickly that I'm half-worried that he'll end up with whiplash. Not that I would mind his having whiplash. Just, he would no longer be formidable opponent in the game of showbiz, being all injured and all.

"Mogami-sna, do we need to call his babysitter-I mean, his Agent? Or do you think he'll be fine on his own in the streets?"

I stifle a giggle with my hand. _Definitely not a mature fighter today, Tsuruga-san_. His behavior almost reminds me of... _Oh. right_. He's waiting for a response on my part. Schooling my wide smile, I bring my phone out from my coat pocket. "I'll call Shoko-san and tell her that she lost her child on aisle three."

I'm met only with blank stares, the joke going in one ear and out the other for the both of them. Of course. Neither of them understand. They haven't worked a day out of the entertainment industry-not to mention nowhere near working as a store clerk. I sigh, waving the joke aside. "I'll call Shoko."

"Sho! What do you think you're doing? I told you to stop harassing Ky-ok-"

Speak of the devil.

The usually capable manager freezes, assessing the situation. Me? Check. Shotaro? Check. Her cheeks burst into flames when her eyes finally land on Tsuruga-san and his amused smirk. she straightens out, her voice suddenly dropping to a deadly professional tone. "Sho. We're leaving. Now."

He doesn't even have time to make a new remark before Shoko thankfully drags him out of the front door.

When the door slams shut, I let out a sigh and deflate my shoulders. Finally. I can relax. My smile returns as I advance toward my senpai. "Thank you for helping me, Tsuruga-san."

His eyes glitter with something I can't quite place, so I ignore the butterflies that ignite with the said look. "Any time, Mogami-san," he smiles. He extends an elbow out to me. "Now should we study your new script? I'm assuming you've already had lunch?"

I stop. Narrow my eyes, recognizing the sign for what it is: a distraction. "You didn't eat today, did you?"

His laugh is his only answer. But it's all the answer I need.

"Tsuruga-sannn," I whine, pulling him toward the kitchen. "You're so irresponsible! Come on, we'll do this over food."

. . .

I lay in my bed ruminating over my new Character. She's still a bad guy, highly modeled Natsu-seeing as the show was creating after the director first laid on eyes on Box R. But Ryu has more of an affinity for stealing boyfriends and being a perpetual flirt as opposed to bullying.

Tsuruga-san helped me once again (discussed over some quick stir fry of last night's leftovers), creating a character that was wholly mine and not the Natsu wannabe that the director initially wanted. We added more swagger to my model walk. We created a lilt to my voice that he insisted blew away any fact at all that I had no experience flirting. I've got it all down, he insists.

Well, I've got it all down with the exception of one thing:

 _Maybe I should actually memorize my lines_.

Pulling the script I lent to Tsuruga-san off the coffee table in my room, my fingertips flip through to find the first highlighted line. Some slight action precedes it, Ryu beginning to stake her claim on Ayami's boyfriend, looking deep in his eyes.

 _Of course we're looking at each other. Isn't that what lovers do?_

My heart stops. That line sounds too familiar.

And then it hits me.

I jump out of bed, pressing my speed dial, ignoring the voice in the back of my head telling me that it's far too late to me making a call. Especially considering that the person I'm calling has an early shoot tommorow morning. Oh, well. I'll apologize to Yashiro-san later for disrupting his charge's beauty sleep.

"Yes, Mogami-san?" Tsuruga's tired voice greets me. Not even the fact that he actually sounds like he was sleeping (which he never does) stops me. Instead, I pull in a deep breath.

"TSURUGA-SANNNNNNNNN!"

 **. . .**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	7. Voicemail

**Voicemail**

 **A/N: Dear, Knight-of-Tuxedo. I'm not even sure if this is the prompt you wanted (prompt: things you said when you were drunk). But it's the one you're going to get. 3 Love you!**

 **To the rest of you guys: Please enjoy the ride and the fluff! :D**

 **. . .**

I settle into my bed with a sigh. The Box R shoot ran a bit low and we kept having to reshoot a lot of our scenes with our guest star. She was some idol gone actress making a cameo in our show for appearances. Meaning she got the role simply due to her presence as an idol. In other words: her cuteness.

Needless to say, it was hard to get Chiori to cooperate.

Pulling my phone from my bag I look for any messages from Kanae about her new drama-but what I found instead leaves me with nothing but questions. Kanae must still be shooting. But Tsuruga-san obviously isn't. I have several missed calls. And...a message?

He never leaves message.

I click the play button without much hesitation.

What could he want that he would call five times?

"Mogami-san. No. Kyoko-chan," His voice groans and I can practically see him run a hand through his hair before a silence comes over the speaker.

Kyoko-chan? Since when...did we at some point escalated past the point of senpai and kouhai without me noticing? I know we're close. But I never really would have thought Tsuruga-san would ever consider me a friend. He's Tsuruga Ren. He's not supposed to be friends with someone as plain as a newbie actress! No! The men of his stature are supposed to be friends with models! Celebrities. People that aren't... I deflate. People that aren't me.

Obviously I misheard. He must have said-

"... and... and that's it."

Eh? What's it? Surely this can't be the whole message! _Kyoko. Focus. Your senpai left a phone message. He wouldn't do that unless it were absolutely necessary. Now listen_ , I scold myself, reaching for my phone again and pressing the replay button. Focus. Focus.

"Mogami-san. No. Kyoko-chan." Another image of him running his hand through his hair. I was wrong. He did call me Kyoko-chan. Focus! I hear A "no good" sigh and then his voice begins again. " _God_...I just wanted to call and tell you..." another sigh. But not a NG. Just an average run off the mill sigh. "I just wanted to tell you, Kyoko, that you're really cute and... and... and that's it." CLICK. And the line goes silent.

I don't know what I was expecting. The message ended in the same place as it did earlier. There's no way it could be any longer but I simply stare at my phone waiting for more. Another message. An incoming call. Tsuruga-san calling me up to apologize for sending me such an inappropriate message, to say: Joke's on you! You shouldn't have believed me.

Even a message coming in to say: Oops! I'm sorry, Mogami-san! That wasn't for you. That was meant for another Kyoko. I wasn't talking about you, Mogami Kyoko. A different Kyoko.

But I knew it wouldn't come.

Kyoko may be a common enough name (making going unnoticed in the acting industry amazingly easy). Except he used my surname to open the voicemail.

 _Mogami_ - _san. No. Kyoko-chan._

The way he said my name causes my cheeks to flush and I chuck my phone down to the comforter beneath me. Pinch my arm. Ow! No! My eyes widen and I pinch myself again. I flinch. It still stings. How is this not a dream? It has to be! The Tsuruga-san I know would never be so cruel to confess such things to a pure maiden such as myself! These are words meant to be shared between sweethearts-close friends, even.

They're not the words a senpai would tell his kouhai.

Even if the said kouhai was stupid enough to fall in love with her senpai.

I sink my body further into my mattress and pull a pillow to my chest. Why does he have to do this to me? It's bad enough that love keeps finding a way to finagle a way out of that damned locked box in my chest. And now he's leaving silly messages on my voicemail? In-Infuriating.

My eyes flutter shut and a restless sleep consumes me, my thoughts never straying too far from Tsuruga's cryptic message on my cellphone.

. . .

BLEEEP.

"I'm up!" I shout, shooting up from my bed. But I realize a little bit too late that it's not my alarm clock that's waking me up. No...it's my...phone? Where did I put that thing? I know I had it before I went to sleep. Or, at least. Tried to go to sleep. I couldn't get my mind off-

BLEEP.

Tsuruga-san's message.

BEEP.

Found it!

"He-Hello?" I croak out, realizing too late that I didn't even stop to check my caller ID. "It's Mogami," I clear my throat and wait anxiously or an answer. If I just picked up one of Shotaro's midnight calls-oh! He's not going to hear the end of it! My fingers grip my phone tightly. Waiting...

A quick inhale. "Mogami-san?"

I release a breath I never knew I was holding and allow a smile to sweep over my face. Tsuruga-san good. Shotaro bad. "Tsuruga-san? Is there something you needed at..." My eyes dart to my alarm clock. Surely this can't be right. "At three in the morning?"

"I woke you."

"N-No! Of course not." I try to laugh it off. But it doesn't exactly work. A yawn overtakes my attempt and my eyes blur with sleepiness. There's no way I can sell this too him. "Okay. Maybe. But I'm up now."

"I'm-I'm sorry. I can call you later."

"No!" My answer comes to quickly and I curse in my head. Way to look eager, Kyoko. Goodness. "I'm already up. Besides. You might not have a chance to catch me until really late and by then you might forget." It is Saturday, his days are busy as are mine. The likeliness of him calling when we both have a break are little to none. It's now or never. I brace myself and hold a breath.

"Right." He remains silent. Probably trying to determine the best way to break it to my gently. Silence. I'm about to open my mouth to ask if he's still there when his words come tumbling out: "Did I leave any strange messages last night?"

Wait? Does he not remember? "St-Strange Messages?"

Tsuruga sighs. This time I can actually hear him running a hand through his hair. "I poured myself too much to drink last night," He admits softly. "Don't remember much. But I looked at my call log and saw your name. Several times."

Too much to drink! Oh! That makes so much sense! He didn't mean to tell me what he did. He was drunk! A laugh bubbles up my throat and I relax back in my bed, holding the phone close to my face. Don't want to wake up the taisho an okami. "No. No messages," I lie easily, a smile spreading across my lips. What a relief! "But you should be careful about how much you drink, Tsuruga-san! You're not playing Cain-san anymore. You need to actually eat when you drink."

A soft chuckle comes from the other side of the line. "Thank you, Mogami-san. I'll keep that in mind next time."

Next time, if he leaves me messages, at least this time I'll know how to react. But in reality, I think I would much rather avoid being in another situation like this one. "You better," I try to laugh and once again I am overtaken in a yawn. "Ahh, excuse me. Sorry, Tsuruga-san. For being so rude."

"Don't worry about it, you're tired." He smiles. "I should be the one apologizing to you." Him? Apologize to me? I open my mouth to object. He's quicker. "Goodnight, Mogami-san. Sorry for bothering you so late at well."

"Ah, Goodnight, Tsuruga-san," I breathe, trying to smother another sigh. I don't do so well. "Work hard tomorrow."

I click the phone off and curl my blanket back over myself.

This time when I fall asleep, I sleep soundly. With a smile on my face.

 _Maybe more drunk Tsuruga messages wouldn't be so bad_.

 **. . .**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	8. A Peculiar Sight

**A Peculiar Sight**

 **A/N: More of an experimental fiction structuring. But I hope you guys like this as much as I do! Please enjoy!**

 **. . .**

It was a peculiar sight to anybody who might have seen them, not that anybody could have. No, they were hidden, presently, in a hot pink room. Japan's Number One Bachelor and Actor. Japan's Rising Starlet Actress, a transparent butterfly of the acting world. They just laid there with their backs pressed against the white linoleum and theirs eyes pointed up at the dimmed fluorescent lights.

It started first with the girl. She had entered the room with tears streaming down her face and thoughts of her mother plaguing her mind. Hate, the chestnut haired girl could handle. She had dealt with it all of her life-being associated with the one and only Sho Fuwa until they graduated middle school. There was a long story about how she ended up here, in one of the most successful talent agencies. But that was a story for another day. What was important at that moment was that she was there. See, what her mother felt for her was worse than any hate.

Being denied an existence was that fate.

She pushed the table occupying the center of the room and promptly collapsed in its place. That was her home for an hour and a half. Thinking of nothing in particular and everything at the same time. Tears blurred her eyes but she refused to let them spill anymore.

Next came the man who entered looking for the girl, seeing as he was in love with her beyond the words of any of the languages he knew. He too had a back story, filled with a long series of self hatred and deprivation. Also a story for another day. The only important part, really, was his undevoted love for her. When he walked into the room and saw her lying there he said nothing. Simply removed his shoes and layed down beside her.

His mind was filled with questions: lots of them. He knew the girl was supposed to meet with her mother again. It was obvious it didn't go well. He also knew she had about a hundred and one things on her mind. But he wouldn't ask. Not until she was ready. So instead he simply remained silent and brushed his hand against her hand.

An invitation.

Which she promptly accepted without a word.

It was a peculiar sight, indeed. Because they remained like that, hand in hand, for another hour before the girl uncurled her fingers from his and sat up. He mimicked her motions, leaning up from the ground into a more proper upright position.

She stood up. So did he. She smiled and vice versa.

At some point at while he was with her-she could breathe again. She could see again. She could think again. And the tears were tucked away for a more dire situation. Hate she could deal with, yes. But she could grow from this. Because she had a new family and friends who would love her without any question. It didn't matter what her birth mother said. 'Cause as it turned out, this girl had found two other mothers who did love her. Who did accept her. Two fathers, too. And that was the best feeling in the world.

She whispered thanks to the man before promptly leaving the room, her body warm again and ready for work. The man stayed behind with a love-struck look on his face before pulling his shoes back on and making his way back to work. He probably didn't have the time to spend it like that. But he was positive that his manager would figure out. His manager would do anything with his schedule as long as the girl was involved.

It was a peculiar sight, because the only word exchanged was her word of thanks. The rest was silence. Comfortable silence.

The girl was Kyoko Mogami.

The man was Tsuruga Ren.

And they would, in the eventual future, get married.

But that, is a story for another day.

 **. . .**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	9. The Way You Look at Me

**The Way You Look at Me**

 **A/N: This one's for Knight-of-Tuxedo, and she actually sent me this prompt ages and ages ago. I'm sorry it took forever. Hope you like!**

 **For the rest of you: Please enjoy! If you have a request, send me an ask or IM on tumblr (ncisduckie or ncisduckiefanfic). Alternatively, you can post to my writing facebook. Link in my profile.**

 **. . .**

There's that look again. Does she not realize that I can still see her when I'm not looking directly at her? 'Cause her face sort of transforms whenever my attention is directed away from her. Not in a bad way. It's not that her face fills with disgust; no that look is reserved only for the "Beagle" nowadays. I just... can't place it. Does it mean anything? Or am I thinking too hard about it?

I turn my gaze back in her direction and immediately her back straightens and pink tinges her cheeks as she looks anywhere but back at me.

"That will be all, Yashiro-san," I murmur, leaning back in my chair while I maintain my gaze in Mogami's direction. Out of the corner of my eye I see my manager quickly make his leave and I'm glad that he's taking my sanity into consideration and forgoes making a comment about "my" Kyoko-chan into my ear. No, that would only ruin my concentration right now.

The door slams shut.

Kyoko jumps a little and looks back to me, shyly, trying to shrink into the couch in my dressing room. "I-I can go too," she offers, prying herself from the cushions.

"Stay."

Her eyes widen and she complies. Lowering herself back down to the couch without another word. And we sit in silence. She's back to her usual game of avoiding my eyes unless I'm looking at her. If she avoids my look so adamantly, why does she look at me so intently when I turn away?

"Tsuruga-san, do you-"

"I've seen the way you-:

We begin speaking at the same time and her cheeks flush brighter. I wave my hand and motion for her to continue. "You first." After all, she's the one I'm trying to figure out. It also doesn't hurt that it's simply more polite to let a lady speak first.

Puffing her cheeks out in thought, she looks back at me. "Tsuruga-san. Is there a reason I'm here right now?" Her hands are held tightly together and she fidgets on the couch. I honestly don't see why she still is so uncomfortable around me. It's only seemed to get worse in the past couple months.

And here I thought we were making progress.

"I've seen the way you look at me when you think I won't notice."

Her voice jumps and octave and her cheeks flame red."E-Excuse me?"

I purse my lips and contemplate it all. Perhaps I am thinking too much into this. Yet her eyes refuse to meet mine as I'm bringing it up. "You look at me when I'm not looking." She's still looking to the ground. Rising from my chair, I approach her frozen form and use a finger to direct her face up to me. "Yet you avoid looking at me otherwise."

She flinches away from my touch. My heart stings but I pull my hand back. Yeah. I'm definitely overthinking me. "I'm sorry for bringing it up, my apologies." I turn away and try not to let it get to me.

For a second I really thought we were getting somewhere past the silly senpai and kouhai boundaries she put up around us.

Apparently I was mistake-

A warm hand grabs mine and stops me from going any farther. Hers. She's holding my hand? Ah, well. This isn't exactly a new development . We've held hands several times. As the Heel siblings. When I froze on the Dark Moon Set. When I was Kuon in Guam. I still have shivers run up my arm, regardless of how many times we've been in this situation. "M-Mogami-san?"

That breaks the spell. She promptly drops my hand. Rises from the couch only to fall into a dogeza. "Tsuruga-san! I apologize from the bottom heart for being such a bad kouhai to such a great, wonderful senpai!" Her wails increase and Kyoko's fingers dig into the ground. "I totally understand if you decide that I'm not worth-"

"Mogami-san. Please get up."

She doesn't listen. I should have expected that, really.

Turning to face her, I crouch down and place a hand on her shoulder. "Please, Kyoko-san. Please get up."

"Huh?" Her head flings up and nearly collides with my own. Luckily my reflexes from Pre-Ren are still mostly intact. Or she would have simply been back on the ground. Apologizing for maring my face or something equally silly.

Honestly? What's the sudden profession of being a bad kouhai? I'm the one who even dared to suggest that she looked at me funny. Wait. Not funny. Differently. "I should be apologizing to you, Mogami-san for being so presumptuous."

"Nooo!" She shouts, tears springing to her eyes. "You can't apologize!"

I clench my jaw. This girl. How does she even do it? "Why no?"

Kyoko looks at me, her eyebrows stitched together before taking a big gulp of air. "Youcan'tpologizenotcomplwro!" She squeals and ducks her head away from mine.

I raise an eyebrow even if she can't see it. What on earth is she so nervous about? "I'm sorry? Mogami-san. You're going to have to speak clearly."

Another sob jars at my ears and I flinch away. Did I say something wrong? "Moga-"

"You can't apologize, because you're not completely wrong."

What? I freeze, my lips hanging open. I'm not wrong? Meaning? Meaning she is looking at me differently! Special? Perhaps. Regardless of how she's looking at me: it's a development. I can't help the smile that crosses across my face.

Maybe we're actually getting somewhere.

 **. . .**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	10. Gift for You

**Gift for You**

 **This is for Onepwanch on tumblr. I decided to take a few of your headcannons and turn them into some fics. Unfortunately I ended up sick and this is the only one ready for you in time for the Christmas season. I'm soooo sorry! :(**

 **It's a kind of ish Future AU before Ren admits his feelings. He has to stop himself from buying things he thinks Kyoko would like.**

 **Anyway, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Please Enjoy!**

 **. . .**

The sight in the store window stops me cold in my tracks.

Luckily the sidewalk is empty and I don't seem to disrupt any sort of pedestrian traffic. A shame. Causing a hold up would keep me away from the display at sight.

I _should_ walk past the display and continue my trek back to my apartment. I have to meet Mogami-san tonight to help with her latest project. That's where I need to be. Not in front of a dress store. Especially not again. This is... I purse my lips together and silently tick it off on my fingers. One.. two...three? Is is three times? Yes. And this makes four.

Four times I've minded my own business and found myself enamoured by a passing display. It's always glitter. It's always pink. Clothes. Jewelry. Purses and knick knacks. They all thread together with a single denominator: Kyoko would love them.

Consequently, she would also probably curse my way back to America to my parents if she ever found out about these spontaneous stops. They happen too often. On the way to work. From location to location. On the way to LME. The stores nowadays obviously know I can't resist stopping if there's even a _chance_ Mogami-san might like what they have to offer. All too often I have to step away from the store with empty hands. And it's all because of what I cursed myself with back at the Dark Moon Closing Party:

 _If a man buys you clothes, it means he wants to have his way with you._

It's not a lie. It's actually an entirely true sentiment in regards to Kijima-san-who finds Kyoko's starlet presence more intriguing than herself. After all, isn't that what the tabloids love to gush about? Rising Stars, bound by love, and rising together in fame. I hear about it all the time in my interviews. It's stupid. Tasteless. A cheap way to move forward in your career.

I simply cannot have Kijima having _his_ way with her. Not only sexually (my teeth grit even at the thought), but in the way he would use Kyoko's rising fame as a way to gain leverage in the entertainment world.

So I projected my anger onto as silly a sentiment as buying clothes.

In turn, I've managed to dig myself into my own grave.

Take the dress in the window, for instance: She would absolutely swoon at the sight of the pink dress and it's draping handkerchief skirt that I could almost promise she would call a fairy skirt without any sort of hesitation. I could buy it now and call it a reward for working so well in her most recent project (another bully role, but this one focused more in seduction and being a temptress than Natsu or Mio). But if I used this excuse I would, in turn, have to buy something for Chiori-san, who snagged a non-bully role in the same drama.

I worked with both of them as a cameo appearance and buying something for _just_ Kyoko can be considered rude. Chiori-san would understand, seeing as she definitely knows about my feelings for her senpai. But Kyoko? She would scold me into next week for not only buying _only_ her something. But the shouts would be especially bad if I buy her clothes.

If I am to buy her clothes _now_ after the Dark Moon fiasco, Kyoko will definitely question my motives and insist that my interests lie in tarnishing her reputation as a pure maiden. 

There are several other things I would much rather do to "tarnish" her reputation as a "pure maiden".

Buying clothes.

Is not one of them.

(The fact she can still call herself a pure maiden after her stint as Setsu is beyond me.)

I should just buy the dress in the window. Make it a Christmas present. A birthday present. Any excuse will do. If I simply have it on hand I can always be prepared. Except...there are so many other things that I given in and bought. My guest room is cluttered with things I've promised myself I'll eventually give her. The dress will go out of style before I can gift it to her.

That sells it.

I should ignore the dress and simply continue my way home.

But...

She would love it. Especially with her hair for the new drama: A deep brown that resembles the pictures she's showed me of before she and Fuwa made the jump to Tokyo. Yes. It would definitely look good.

So I should buy the dress.

And suddenly: I'm in the exact position I was in five minutes ago, my hand hovering over my wallet and my eyes staring closely at the glittering display.

"Tsuruga-san! What are you doing here?"

Inside, my heart does about fifty somersaults as my ears perk to the sound of _her_ voice. What is she doing around here so early? Now I definitely can't buy the dress. Not with her right here. Quickly schooling my face, I turn from the storefront to the dark haired girl. "Mogami-san," I greet with a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "You're done early."

Her golden eyes narrow and her brows furrow together as she steps closer. "Tsuruga-san, it's eight thirty." Is it really? Damn. I've spent nearly half an hour gaping like a fish at this display. "I'm actually running late," she raises and eyebrow. "I'm surprised you can say the same for yourself, Mister _I'm Always Punctual._ "

"I got distracted on the way home."

"Looking at dresses?"

"Y-Yes."

Between me, the display, and the dozens of similar displays, I see how bad this looks. I mean, there's no real excuse for a man to be here. They can't be for myself-so the dresses I'm interested in obviously have to be with _someone_ in mind. The question is: will she make the jump to herself.

I study Kyoko as she tries to work it out in her head. A mix of confusion and awe swirl just behind her eyes as she takes in the display I've been obviously studying.

I was right, by the way, she loves the dress.

She never gets anywhere with trying to determine _why_ I'm looking at the dresses. Instead, the mysterious expression that crosses her face quickly fades and is replaced with a stern gaze. Directed at me. Wait? What did I do?

"Tsuruga-san, were you getting ready to ditch our dinner date?"

She continues with her reprimand, but I can't help but circulate around how she phrased it. A dinner date. Dinner. Date. Date. Date.

Date.

She's referring to our working together as a date.

I can't help the grin that spreads its way across my face.

Kyoko stops, her eyes going wide and her face going red. "Are you laughing at me?" She screeches. "Tsuruga-san! How can you be so cruel? You _know_ how important this role is to me!"

Damn.

I _really_ need to watch my smiles around her.

"N-No, Mogami-san," I start, trying to wave off her anger, "I was by no means laughing at you! I was just..." What was I doing? I can't very well tell her I loved how she was calling our dinner a "date". No, that would confuse her.

Her eyebrows furrow. "Just...what?"

"I was simply smiling at your enthusiasm for your new job, despite it being a bully role again."

That shut her up. Instead, Kyoko simply gapes up at me with trembling eyes. I expect her honestly to start crying-to have her insist that she doesn't deserve such a compliment from me. But instead, a uneven smile crosses her face.

"Thank you, Tsuruga-san."

I return her smile and nod away from the store and instead to the direction of my apartment complex. "Now, shall we get to work?" To our _dinner date_ , I mentally celebrate as we turn together into the sidewalk.

We walk silently side by side and I'm suddenly thankful that the area pretty much dies at six every night. Anywhere else in Tokyo and we would have never been able to share this moment. Which just makes me appreciate the moment even more.

In the back of my mind, I make a note to return for the dress.

 **. . .**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	11. Uplift

**Uplift  
**

 **A/N:When mustardtan asked if I had any chapters of this collection waiting in the wings for her replacement gift for SkipBeatSecretSanta-at first I was stumped. And then lo and behold, I remembered this piece I started working on back in October!I reworked it so it fits into the newer chapters! So here's to Mustardtan! Please accept this as a thank you for all the hard work you do for the fandom! Oh, and a very late Merry Christmas!**

 **. . .**

She's waiting for me to respond to her-maybe to apologize to her. Whatever reaction she's hoping for after disclosing her dizzy spells and nausea all those years ago-I don't think she's going to get it. I'm not sorry for existing and I'm not sorry I am here today.

My fingers turn Corn in circles. After only a few twirls, the small stone makes its way back into the pocket in my uniform's skirt. I need something to squeeze. Take the brunt of my frustrations.

So I pull out my phone.

Its exterior feels cold and hard as I squeeze it between my fingertips. No give. I don't know what I'm expecting out of it-but I can't abuse anything else in my possession. Princess Rosa and Corn are out of the question seeing as I would rather die before letting harm come to them. I finally look back up to the unwavering gaze of my mother.

I didn't want to see her this way. Instead, I suppose I wanted her to remain as I picture in my childhood: cold and distant. Hateful, even. But this woman in front of me...the same one that rendered me to tears despite my thinking of not being capable of crying due to her actions anymore...she's too much like me. If I am to hate myself if I am to hate her?

Because I too fell victim to the blindness of love. Shotaro ruined me. Misonoi ruined mother. Is it a family curse? Just as she transferred unconsciously her hatred of my father onto me-I attached my hatred of Shotaro into every fiber of my being. Into my jobs. Into my LME audition.

I latched my hatred of Shotaro right onto Tsuruga-san. And I did so for the longest time.

So am I no better than my mother?

BZZT. BZZT.

A phone? My fingers jolt against a vibration and I realize then it's not just any phone. It's my phone. I rip my gaze away from mother and look instead to the letters that blink on the small display: Tsuruga-san.

An unwilling gasp makes its way through my lips along with the corners of my lips turning up. But I hide the tiny smile and instead flip the phone open long enough only to hit the decline button. Now is not the time to talk to Tsuruga-san.

His call, however, had the perfect timing. He always does. Must be thanks to his fairy blood. And for that, I'm thankful, because his call reminded me of something.

 _You are not your father_.

Those are the words Tsuruga-san told Ogata-san when he fell to the ground after my Mio test. It was the first time the director heard such words from anyone. All his life, he was told he was _just_ like his father. Even worse, I think his father kind of perpetuated it.

They may have both worked on a version of Tsukigimori, his father on the original and Ogata on what became known as Dark Moon. They even look the same.

And still, Ogata is not his father.

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

I look back up to my mother, whose lips have twisted into what I can only describe as the curl of contempt. To think...I missed her when she left. I haven't had to endure that look for years. Shaking my head, I flip the phone shut and stuff it into my pocket. "It's not important right now," I murmur. Besides, it would be extremely rude to step out of a meeting I myself arranged. I'm stronger than that.

She nods but I can tell she doesn't believe me. I don't blame her, really. My face slipped at the sight of Tsuruga-san's name. There's no doubt in my mind that she knows. Knows that I've fallen in love. It's obvious that she doesn't approve. And once upon a time ago, neither would I.

Once upon a...

Once upon a time.

It hits me.

Once upon a time ago.

I would have agreed with her, my mother. A girl like me. Falling in love. In the past, I would have been right alongside her beliefs. Don't fall in love! As I told Sawara-san-it's the prelude to despair. Hurt. Depression.

However, I don't think like that. Not since I fell hard for Tsuruga-san.

Slowly, a smile spreads across my lips and my mother's eyebrows stitch together. A smile is not the reaction she wanted, I see. But I can't stop grinning. It feels as if my heart just grew a thousand pounds lighter. It feels like I can breathe again.

I'm not my mother.

I, Mogami Kyoko, am _not_ Mogami Sanae.

"The child in your stomach was me. Yes." I start, pulling my hands back up to the tabletop and folding them neatly. _I can't give you enough points. You worked very hard!_ I survived living for collectively a month with Tsuruga-san. And nobody found out either of our identities. If I could do that, this has to be a piece of cake. "You may not want the public to know-but I would like you to remember, always, that you do have a child."

She blinks. Slowly. But makes no move to correct me. And she can't. I'm right, after all. It's not like she can refute that I'm her child. She _just_ admitted it to me-it's impossible to take it back now.

This is it, my grand finale:

Pushing myself up from my seat across from her, I allow a Natsu-like smile to fall over my face. "It doesn't matter if you care about me, and frankly, it doesn't matter if you hate me. But I'm your child whether you like it or not."

My mother's lips drop to a gape and her figure jumps up from the table, hip bumping against the wood and the silverware clattering.

I wave it off and pull my bag up off the ground and onto my shoulder. "Now if you excuse me, I have a job that I need to start soon."

"Moga-" Her voice dies out and I turn away. Start walking. Just like Tsuruga-san taught me: Shoulders pulled back and allow my hips to swing naturally as I propel myself forward. "Kyoko!" She calls after me-desperation clinging to her words. This is definitely not what she expected when I pulled myself out of Toudo's car.

She probably expected me to cry.

I never dreamed, really of making such a dramatic exit seeing as they seem to always fit dramas more than real life. Yet the moment presented itself and now my escape looks better planned than I could have ever hoped. Even without my battle outfit, I made it out alive. I can't stop smiling.

Even miles and miles away Tsuruga-san helped me today. There's no question now, that he has fairy blood in him. No person would be able to reach me without being near. Like guardian ang-

BZZT. BZZT.

"Ahh!" I screech, flinching as the vibrating of my phone jars against the skin of my thigh. Right. I put the blasted thing in my pocket, something I almost never do anymore. My fingers fumble at the pocket, fishing for the cool plastic of my cell.

BZZT. BZZT.

There it is! "I'm coming, I'm coming," I mutter, closing my fingers around the vibrating device. Tsuruga's name blinks across the display as I bring it out of my pocket. Immediately, a million butterflies flutter at the center of my chest. What is it they say when this happens? Ah. Speak of the devil.

"This is Mogami," I chirp, flipping the phone open to accept my senpai's call.

There's a moment of silence before his voice comes across the line, a dash of surprise underlying his voice."Ah, Mogami-san, you picked up."

I freeze. What if he was just trying to leave me a message? And I screwed it up by picking up the phone promptly? How could I have been so inconsiderate? "W- Was I not supposed to? I can-" _I can hang up and you can try again_ , I finish in my head.

"No, that isn't it. I'm just surprised." He chuckles lightly and I instantly relax. Good. I don't know what I would do if he wanted me hang up. Would I be strong enough to hang up? Or would I stubbornly refuse and demand his attention? "Anyways, I was just calling to see how you were faring."

Eh? My lips purse together and I pause in the sidewalk. My escape may have been grand-but I simply took an opportunity. In short, I acted. My Box R shoot doesn't start for two hours and I'm far enough from my mother to stop the model act and just be Kyoko again. Of course Kyoko has time to talk with Tsuruga-san...even _if_ he has weird topic points. "How I was faring?"

He pauses and I can practically see him giving me one of his rare smiles. I blush despite being unable to see it. "You left a message about seeing your mother today," he explains. "It sounded important and I was worried when I got to my break and you hadn't called back with an update. It's been a couple hours, no?"

Right. I forgot I did that, really. But obviously the message reached him well. Enough for him to...worry? About me? I can't help but feel a little bit special-I quickly kill that sentiment.

It's just a senpai worrying about his kouhai.

I try to emit a dazzling smile over the line like he did but I'm sure mine didn't quite reach him. The smile feels fake after my realization. "You don't have to be worried, Tsuruga-san! Everything went well."

"Am I not allowed to be worried?"

My heart pounds in my chest so loudly I'm afraid that he can hear it over the phone. He...he can't be serious, can he? I square my shoulders and toss the thought away. Nope. Not possible. He's simply teasing me. Instead, I divert his question the only way I know how: with another question.

"Tsuruga-san, you said you were on break?"

His disappointment that I refused to take the bait is evident, seeing as he sighs softly before giving attention to my question. "Yes, I'm on break."

I bite my lip. He's confirmed my worst fear, I realize, my gut sinking. "Are you talking to me to avoid eating your dinner?"

A fake gasp on his side. "I'm offended!"

The corners of my lips twitch and I release my teeth's hold on my bottom lip before breaking out into a full smile. "Good."

"I'll have you know that Yashiro-san is getting my bento as we speak."

"Is he now?" My eyebrows raise because I don't believe him. Not for an instant. If there was a trophy in the division of avoiding meals-he would take first place. And it's not a good thing.

Tsuruga-san laughs, music to my ears. I can't help but suspend my disbelief for the slightest moment and smile stupidly at my phone. For this moment-I can believe that Yashiro-san has somehow convinced my senpai to eat without my insistence. A content silence falls over the line and in the moment of dazzling fantasy-I remember that I'm standing in the middle of a sidewalk and I just walked out of my mother. All because of my senpai's magic.

"Thank you, Tsuruga-san," I blurt, unable to stop myself. My hand flies up to cover my mouth and the smile that tugged at the corners of my lips falls ungracefully from my face. I'm being weird again, aren't I?

The silence that follows my slip up sends shivers up my spine. As much as the prospect scares me, I wish I could have been talking directly to him so I could see what he's feeling. Or at least, try to _guess_ what he's feeling. _Please don't get mad, please don't get mad_ , I plead in my mind, cringing at my silly mistake.

"Mogami-san, it's just a bento. I know I'm bad at eating, but I've been getting better since Cain."

I let out a sigh of relief and allow myself to relax. He didn't get mad and he didn't start questioning me. _I am saved_. A happy laugh bubbles up from the center of my chest and I push my phone closer to my face. "No, no. It's not that," I smile. "It's something else entirely."

The sound of intrigue fills his voice. "Oh, is it? Am I allowed to know?"

Is he? Well... of course. He gave me the strength to fight my mother! He gave me the strength to find myself as Mogami Kyoko. But explaining it over the phone will only cheapen the experience. So instead, we wait. "I promise to tell you as soon as you return to Tokyo and we can meet, alright?"

A moment as he thinks it over. I hold my breath in that moment. Was I too brash, asking to meet up front like this? I hope not, but it seems that I can't help myself while talking to him. And luckily? Tsuruga-san agrees to meet with me without questioning my forwardness. I can breathe again. "I return the day after tomorrow but have a shoot immediately after my return. I'm free starting at seven, is that alright with you?"

I rake over my own schedule. Day after tomorrow...all I have planned is Box R and the shoot ends at six. A grin crosses my face. "It's a date."

 **. . .**

 **A/N: This is so much longer than I expected. It was supposed to be three pages! Not five! :O**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Please Leave a Review!**


	12. Just the Two of Us--Glamour

**Just the Two of Us**

 **A/N: Welcome to Kyoko/Ren Week, folks! If you have no idea what I'm talking about: lemme tell you really quick: It's a Ship week for those of us who ship Ren and Kyoko to get together and create a whole bunch of stuff to celebrate the ship based off of daily prompts. Join in on the fun here or on tumblr, using #KyokoRenWeek!**

 **Today's word is Glamour and it's used more as an inspirational word that I based the fic on! Please enjoy! I've got a lot of fun stuff planned for all y'all and hope you guys like it!**

 **. . .**

I make it home later than expected-but I guess even that's expected. My luck dictated that flights arrive late and I miss things. It's why I didn't bother trying to make it back in time for the show tonight. Too late to even try and catch the end as it aired in real time. It doesn't matter, though, because Yukihito helped me record it it. And perhaps I'm late enough that maybe...

 _Click_.

Yep. I look at the electric light of the clock on the side table just as the door swings open to wash the entryway in warm light. "I'm home," a voice calls gently into the dark room.

I smile and turn from the clock to to the glowing princess at the door. My breath hitches in my throat and I immediately fall into a deep bow. "You're beautiful," I whisper, quickly pulling her hand closest to me and pressing my lips against its back. "I must have died on my flight home and arrived straight to heaven," I murmur against her skin.

She sputters out a laugh. "Your version of heaven is your apartment?"

"Our apartment," I correct, looking up to meet her golden eyes. "And it's only heaven when there's an angel present.

Heat flushes to her cheeks and she tries to tug her hand away from my grasp. I let her win and straighten out to give her form a once over. Has it only been a week since I've last seen her in person? Surely it's been longer... however long-she seems even more beautiful since I left. "Rennn," she whines, fidgeting under my gaze. My smile brightens.

"You look gorgeous."

"Y-You said that already."

"So I did."

I could say it a million more times. It's just...I take in her entire presence and feel as my heart swells in my chest. Everything, from her toes, to the pale blue of her gown, to the embroidered flowers that bloom around her waist and arms...she's the image of a fairy queen. Just like she is. "That's the dress Mom bought for you?"

And Kyoko's eyes brighten, her embarrassment being pushed aside for the sake of jumping up on her toes in excitement. "Mhmm! Julie-sama bought me and Moko the most beautiful dresses from the runway shows and-"

"You know she would shoot you if she heard you calling her 'Julie-sama'," I laugh, interrupting the spiel I've heard so many times since my mother took the girls to New York for Fashion Week. Leading up to the show tonight, every day there was at least one mention of the infamous dresses that she bought for Kyoko and Kanae both. "You dress makes you look like a fairy queen."

"Oh! You should have seen Moko! She looked so sophisticated and beautiful!" Her eyes are filled with glittering stars as she goes into a spiel about Kanae-san's dress; something along the lines of fairy queen of death (a very high compliment in her book). My comment, once again, has managed to slip her attention. I inwardly sigh, I should have said that before bringing up Mom. "You could see the dress now!"

My lips pull up into an amused smile. There goes her one-track mind again. "Oh really?"

Kyoko pauses, taking a minute to chew at her pink stained lip. "You recorded it, no? We could watch and you could see Moko and then you'll understand what I me-"

"Kyoko." Best to stop her while she's ahead.

She stops short, looking up at me with confusion. "Is there something wrong?" I hardly hold in a laugh, earning a very angry pout-only making me laugh a little bit more. "Rennn."

"Sorry!" I manage to choke out, looking down at the lovely girl in front of me. "Don't you want to relax a little bit?" I say, motioning down at her dress,. Beautiful as she makes it, I can't imagine it can be very comfortable. After all, she's been in it plus heels for several hours at this point. "How about you take a quick shower? The show will be there when you're done."

Confliction shrouds her face and for a moment I think she's going to argue with me. But the fight dissolves from her features and she nods with a small smile. "That's actually probably a really good idea," She admits. "These shoes are slowly suffocating my feet."

Nodding, I lean down to brush my lips across her cheek-careful not to muss up her makeup before she has to take it off herself. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

Kyoko gives me one of her dazzling smiles and pulls her fingers up to her cheek where I kissed her. Just like she always does, almost as if she can't believe it just happened. I don't blame her. Sometimes I still don't believe that we're together. And we've been together for almost a year.

 _Almost a year._

God, the words sound so good in my head.

I watch as she scampers from the entryway we had crowded ourselves into to the restroom. Her movements are quick and graceful and she manages to not even step on the floor length train of her dress. Mother's obviously been giving her lessons. I smile to myself and turn my attention to the living room.

 _I love her so much_.

The thought invades my head and repeats itself like a broken record as I begin to rearrange the room into our show watching setup. Push the coffee table out of the way. Pull the blankets and pillows from the closet. _Go to the Kitchen_. Make coffee. Don't burn the popcorn. I burn it anyway. Bring it all into the living room and make a picnic on the floor. Sit down with my back against the couch. _Wait_.

"You burnt the popcorn."

I look up from my place on the ground and smile sheepishly. "I tried," I argue weakly.

But it's kind of hard to form a coherent thought as I drink in her freshly showered body. Skin still flushed from the steam of the shower and still damp hair-she's definitely way too excited to show me Kanae's dress. I guess I can't blame her, really. Knowing my mom, if it's even half of what Kyoko's dress looks like: it's going to be phenomenal.

She doesn't bother with a rebuttal of words, opting instead to roll her eyes before settling down on the ground beside me. "I suppose I can deal with burnt popcorn-better than the undercooked chicken served at the show."

"See? I was just making sure I didn't poison you by undercooking your popcorn!" I joke easily, wrapping an arm around her warm skin. Kyoko laughs and snuggles closer into my embrace while I reach for the remote and switch the television on to turn on the award show. "So do you want me to fast forward through anything?"

A moment of silence. Then she looks up at me with something stirring in her eyes that I haven't seen in quite a while, to be honest. "Sho and his fiance performed the opening." She says, finally.

Ahh. Sho and his... fiance. Some girl from LME, I think. The relationship that managed to quell the intensity of the rivalry between our agencies. I always forget that Sho managed to settle down with a girl with the promise of marriage before I did. But patience is my virtue and I would rather not rush through things. Neither would Kyoko. I click my tongue and poise my thumb over the fast forward button. "You want me to skip?"

"...No. I was just... warning you."

I smile and kiss her forehead gently before pressing play and letting the show gone. Fuwa's performance and all. Before long, the Ishibashi brothers step on stage, playing hosts. Bo stands behind them, wagging his tail feathers awkwardly. I nudge Kyoko and laugh. "Who's the poor soul that had to replace you tonight?" It's always amazed me how she still manages to find time to play Bo. And yet Yukihito has somehow managed to fit it in her schedule...maybe he needs a raise, soon.

But Kyoko just smiles to herself and keeps her eyes glued to the screen. A question for another night, it seems.

We continue to watch in comfortable silence and it isn't until we watch as Kyoko herself steps onstage to accept an award for best supporting actress that she sighs wistfully and brings herself closer to me. "It was so glamourous-I miss it." She sniffs and I know she's trying not to let her tears spill from her eyes. "I wanna look like a princess again."

Bringing my other arm around her, I capture Kyoko into an embrace and pull her into my lap. She looks up at me with wide, tear-filled, eyes and opens her mouth to object but I shake my head, bringing a finger up to her lips.

"You're still a princess to me, Kyoko."

Tears finally fall from her eyes and I rush to catch them with my fingers. "H-How can you say that?" she whispers. Almost as if she can't trust her own voice in front of me. "I'm in pajamas and have wet hair."

I laugh quietly and use the arm still wrapped around her to bring her closer to me, still. Her body heat warms me as I look into her golden eyes. "Even princesses have to go to sleep sometimes," I explain. "And you'll wake up tomorrow and get ready for work and you'll _still_ be a princess. Because even princesses have work in their castle-Do you understand?"

Kyoko offers me a small nod, her tears beginning to fade from their prominence in her eyes. I grin and swoop my face so it's level with hers. "Good." And I kiss her. Wait to see if she responds, _if she give me permission_ and tug gently at her bottom lip with my teeth. But before we can get an farther into it, I pull back quickly.

"And one day, I'm going to make you my queen, if that's alright with you?" 

Heat flushes her cheeks and she wraps her arms around my neck, bringing our heads level again. She kisses my cheeks. My nose. My chin. Before closing in on my lips and pressing hers against them in a movement that I can't ever seem to get used to.

She whispers one thing to me:

" _Yes_."

 **~FIN~**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	13. The Dream

**The Dream**

 **A/N: Welcome to day two of Kyoko/Ren week! The word of the day is dream and I hope I created some resemblance of something entertaining! Please enjoy!**

 **Ummm, quick question: how much can I get away with before I have to up the rating?**

 **Also: Note to MyLoveTookAWalk: you think I've made you blush? HA! This one's for you then!**

 **. . .**

His fingers crawl carefully up my thighs, both hands pushing my legs apart in a fluid movement. A shiver runs up my spine as I dig the lower half of my body into the bed. I squeeze my eyes shut and focus on my breathing as his fingertips hook the edges of my panties. One, two, three. One, _two, three_. One. _Tw-_ His mouth descends to the skin of of my inner thigh; sucking, running his tongue in careful circles

" _Ahh_ ," I groan. Try to bring my thighs together to bring him closer to the pressure building at their apex. Doesn't work, though. He's wedged his torso between them. _There's no turning back_. But the worst part?

I don't even want to.

And he pulls down my panties, raising his lips from my skin and creating an immediate absence of warmth _._ "Ky-o-ko," he whispers and even with my eyes pressed closed I can still imagine The Emperor of the Night looking up at me with dark eyes. _God_. _Don't stop_

My fingers clutch desperately at the covers of the bed as my naked hips jut up to seek his touch. "Tsu-ru-ga-saaa," I breathe, opening heavy eyelids to catch a glimpse of-

An empty room.

Not even my empty room. _Tsuruga-san's_ guest room. No. _No_. Looking down, I see my sleep shorts hanging low on my hips and my top hiked up around my waist. Panic rushes through my veins and I scramble to pull my attire properly over my body. _Even my clothes participated in my dream_ , I think miserably to myself.

I try to push myself up and roll out of bed but my legs seize up and I end up tangled in the bed sheets instead as I ungracefully fall to the ground with a scream. _I can't believe I dreamed-_ I squeeze my eyes shut. _To have the audacity to even think it in_ his _apartment_!

"Mogami-san? Are you alright?"

My eyes fly open and I see that the victim of my shameless dreams has appeared at the the door frame. Sleep clothes still hang on his body, an uncommon sight in comparison to his normal prim and proper dress. I feel heat creep up my cheeks and I shake my head furiously. "I-I'm fine! Just. Forgot where I was for a second."

Tsuruga-san's eyebrows furrow together and he takes a step into the room. I can see the wheels in his head starting to turn: I'm not forgetful and am usually put together far better than this. Usually. "Are you sure? You look a little hot..." He begins his descent into a crouch and reaches a hand out to press against my forehead. "Do I need to call your director and tell him that you need a sick day?" His fingers brush my bangs from my eyes and I feel my face grow even redder.

 _He brushes my hair from my face and gives me a smile. His emperor's smile. And then he kisses me. Like he kisses his love interests on all of his dramas. But this isn't a stage kiss. And we're not acting. I squeak in surprise and he takes the opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth. That's how it began_.

I flinch away from my senpai's touch and jump up quickly. Dizziness swirls in my head but I keep my feet steady. Try to keep the panic from reaching my voice. "No! I'm fi-I'm fine!" I wave my hands and the sheets decide then to disentangle themselves from my body, allowing me to move my legs in a jogging motion. "See? Fit! Ready for the day!"

"Ehrm..." Tsuruga manages, his eyes raising up from his lowered position and honing on my hips. "Mogami-san." He motions to my lower extremities and quickly looks away. Embarrassment crosses his face and I look down. Nerves buzz at the core of my stomach.

"Ehhh!" I squeal, pulling the sheets back up from the ground and draping them over myself. Somehow in my struggle, my sleep shorts had once again slipped from their proper home at my hips and fell to a comfortable position at my crotch. Meaning...

I just flashed Tsuruga-san my panties.

Traitors.

"I'm so sorry, Tsuru-"

 _He pulls away, but not before both of us are breathless. "I-I'm so sorry, Mog-Mogami-san." His eyes drop. "I shouldn't have done that," he murmurs._

 _This is the part where I'm supposed to back away and come up with a way that this was not my beloved senpai's fault, in fact-it was mine._ I shouldn't have tempted you!? I shouldn't have come over!? _But the apologies and dogeza never come. Instead, I use his shirt lapels and pull him back down and kiss him back. Kiss him harder. Because I might never be able to do this ever again._

 _At first he's surprised, I can feel it in the tenseness of his back. Then he melts back into me and I try to pull him closer. Closer. He has a better idea: His hands trail down my back and he hoists me up, my legs finding place tied around his waist._

 _An unfamiliar pressure presses between my thighs and I moan into his mouth._ Yes _. I might never be able to do this ever again._

"Mogami-san?"

Tsuruga-san's real voice breaks me from the vision from my dream and I flinch away from his sudden closeness. _Out of here_. I need to get out of here. Otherwise...what else am I going to remember? "I-I think I should leave," I squeak out, unable to look my senpai in the eyes.

"Let me drive you home."

I rack my brain for excuses-but I know they're going to be seldom. Both of us had this morning off which is why I came over to make dinner last night in the first place. Neither of us had to be anywhere until the afternoon. And even then, we'll be headed to the same studio for our respective dramas.

While that may be convenient in regards to rides and not having to bike to work all the time. It makes this situation a lot harder than I would like it to be. I shake my head quickly, unable, still, to come up with an excuse.

He gives me one of his NG sighs and I immediately snap my neck up to look at me? What exactly did I do to deserve a NG? I wasn't aware that we were _acting_. My fists curl themselves into the sheet I'm using to cover myself. "I just need to be alone for a little bit! Is that too much to ask?" I shriek.

Except, when Tsuruga's eyes go wide and and an unfamiliar sense of hurt crosses his features I realize how much I just messed up. It's not his fault my dirty dream is invading my every thought. It's not his fault I'm such a bad kohai and pictured my senpai doing such...private...things to me.

Tsuruga-san backs away slowly and no longer meets my eyes as he smiles gently. "I'm sorry for pushing you, Mogami-san. I'll let you get ready." He turns away and makes his way to the door. "See you at the office tomorrow."

My heart cracks. I shoot my hand out and reach for his slow receding figure.

"W-wait."

When he turns back, I can see the hope he's trying to keep hidden in the depths of his eyes. A sight I haven't seen recently. "Mogami-san?"

 _In a rapid turn of events, we ended up in his bedroom. On his bed. His figure looming over mine, my legs loosely entangled in his. Tsuruga-san lowers his lips to my ear. "Are you sure this is okay?" He whispers as his teeth nip at my earlobe._

 _The only thing I can bring myself to do is nod with a heavy groan. Words are impossible to form in my mind. I_ still _can't believe this is happening._

 _His fingers then pull out from under me and get to work on the zipper of my LoveMe uniform. The heavy pink material is slipped from my shoulders and pulled from my body, leaving me in only my undershirt and panties._

 _Another moment-my undershirt finds itself flung across the room._

 _My first instinct is to shrink my mostly naked torso from him, the thought of him telling me to protect my innocence a distant memory. But as he lowers his mouth to my breast, tongue flicking out against my skin: all my inhibitions fall flat._

 _A moan pushes through my lips and I arch my back and wrap my legs around him once more. Pull him closer._

 _One word dominates my mind:_ MORE.

I pull myself from the vision of the dream with minimal blushing. Tsuruga looks at me still, puzzlement crossing his features. Did I make any weird noises just now?

I can't think of anything to say. Nothing that can quite fix my yelling at him. Instead, I cross the room and pull at his sleep shirt until his pace is parallel to my own. And then I kiss him. Drag my teeth at his lower lip before pulling it between my own. Try to imitate his kiss from my dream.

Pulling away, I blush. "I-I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that, Tsuruga-san."

But he simply smiles and shakes his head before descending to my lips once again. I freeze at first-but slowly melt into the feel of his mouth moving against mine, allowing his tongue to invade my mouth. And before I can register what's happening, he hoists me up and my legs pull up and around his waist. My arms wrap around his neck.

An unfamiliar but amazing pressure builds between my legs as the hardness of Tsuruga-san presses against my core. I moan into the kiss and close my eyes as a shot of white blinds my vision.

The sheet I held at my waist falls to the ground.

It's so much better than my dream.

~FIN~

*hides behind my hands*

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!


	14. Stealing the Spotlight

**Stealing the Spotlight**

 **A/N: Welcome to day three of Kyoko/Ren week! The word of the day is Spotlight and if you guys want to know how I'm attacking this: in theory each day will feature a new POV. Except the last day. That's where we return to... someone.**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **. . .**

It's unusually silent for the day after an album release. In fact, the day has been blissfully quiet. Shoko hasn't come up to badger me about interviews. She hasn't texted about any appearances on any of the talk shows. She hasn't told me to stop watching television. She hasn't even asked me if I had heard the news.

I mean, I did.

Obviously.

It would have been impossible for me not to. I know I tend to close myself off from the media outside of Akatoki around album release. But when something this big happens it's kind of hard to even turn the television on without seeing the bright images and announcements. The frenzied headlines have overshadowed what was supposed to be a _very_ highly anticipated album. I wonder if either of them noticed.

 _Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt_.

When I grab my phone, I expect it to be Shoko. Maybe telling me that this was all a scam brought on by the LME president. Or telling me that this is the media's subtle way of telling me that the album sucked. But it's Kyoko's name that flashes across the screen before I bring it to my ear. _Interesting_. "Hello?"

" _Imsosoridino!"_

I flinch away from the shriek. "What?"

"Imsosorridintno!" The girl shrieks again, slower. Not by much, though.

There's still no way I can understand the words she's stringing together. I close my eyes. _I'm so sai domino? I'm so_ sorry, _indigo?_ "Kyoko, you're going to have to try this again." I pause. "Preferably this time not like a banshee?"

But before I can prepare myself for another round of her screeching another voice intercepts the line. _His_ voice. Tsuruga Ren. "She just found out that your album released today. Swears she didn't know." He says it smoothly and I can practically see him trying to calm a blubbering Kyoko down with his one free hand.

What didn't she know? Kyoko doesn't really go out of her way to look out for my albums anymore so why _would_ she know about this one's release. I mean, I totally understand. "My Album?"

I can hear Kyoko's wail despite her phone now being in the hands of her long-time boyfriend: "WE STOLE YOUR SPOTLIGHTTTTT!"

My...spotlight? Wha-? A smile stretches across my face and I snort. She called crying and screeching, on the day of her engagement announcement, _because she was worried about me_? _Some things never change_. "Congratulations on your guys' engagement," I laugh with tears coming up to my eyes. Kyoko has never changed. "When's the wedding?"

On the other side of the line, Ren chuckles. "We haven't decided yet. We have to plan it around our work." He pauses for a moment. "When's your next album set to release, that should be a good day..."

I snicker along with the actor and it the background Kyoko shouts that Ren "shouldn't be so mean" and that "it's not something to joke about". And in all honestly, they already sound like a married couple.

"I don't know if there will be another album after this flop," I joke. "Maybe I should try my hand at acting?"

We laugh and again I hear Kyoko screeching, this time directing her frustration to me. She honestly makes it way too easy to tease her. I wouldn't have her any other way, though. And obviously neither would her "amazing" (her word, not mine) boyfriend. Well, fiance now.

"You should probably go console your future wife or something," I remark.

"Probably."

And yet both of us remain on the phone. Not saying anything. Just silence. Kyoko whimpering in the background, presumably snuggled up against the man on the phone.

"Sho?"

I perk my ears up and lean back into the couch. "Yeah?"

"Kyoko and I are going to make this up to you. You know that, right?"

Laughing, I nod against the receiver. "Damn right, you are!" There's no question about it. Like I thought earlier. This isn't something I need to be worried about. Let them have their cake. I'll have my own some other day.

A bigger, better cake.

"Of course." The relief in the man's voice sweeps across the line and I'm reminded of why he always topping me in talent rates; he can make anybody feel what he's feeling. Damn actors.

Before I have an opportunity to make a snide remark, I hold my tongue and continue with proper farewells. The phone is passed back to Kyoko who simply mutters another apology and a small 'goodbye' before the couple finally hangs up.

And I'm alone again.

When I put down the phone, I can't help but grin. Sure, the lovebirds might have potentially ruined the media in regards to my album release. But everything is only going to go up from here. I can feel it in my bones.

In that moment, Shoko finally makes her way into my apartment. Worry etches over her face and my smile only widens. She was expecting me to be down in the dumps, huh? "Sho," she starts, approaching me carefully, "are you alright?"

I nod carefully. "Yeah, why shouldn't I be?"

"Well...um..." She can't even look me in the eye. What does she think? That somehow I had reverted back to being seventeen? That I'm upset Kyoko "got away" or some other stupid thing I might have thought ages ago. "You see, something happened this morning..."

Ah. Yes. Here it goes. Yet, I don't want to really hear it from her. She's going to make it seem like bad news. And it's not. I push myself up from the couch and wave my manager off. "Actually, there's no need, I know about the engagement." Grabbing my phone, I brush past her and start for the door. "Can you do me a favor? Contact that one group that did my suit for that award show last month, please?"

Shoko sputters and probably turns to face my receding figure. "Wh-What? _Why_?" Her voice drops to a scandalized whisper. " _You don't have anything to wear something that extravagant yet._ "

The implications of her whisper kind of offends me. My album will reach people. Just give it time. She is wrong about one thing, though. I have _exactly_ the occasion to wear something "that extravagant" and flashy.

"Of course I do," I toss over my shoulder, opening the door to let myself out. Take a walk or something. "The Tsuruga Wedding."

The door slams shut behind me.

 **~FIN~**

 **A/N: Friend Sho is the best Sho.**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	15. Cross the Line

**Cross the Line**

 **A/N: I'm crying because I'm so behind and omg. I'm writing a lot more this week than I normally do! I want to make this a habit (kinda) but school is a thing. *cries forever* ANYWAY welcome to Day FOUR of #KyokoRenWeek! Today's word is "Lines"!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

 **. . .**

It was a perfect plan, really.

Both Kyoko's manager and I had corroborated their free time so today we could shove them each into the LoveMe room within minutes of each other. Now an hour has passed and _surely_ there has to be some sort of development between the two of them. _There has to be._..right?

After all, it's been, like, _fifteen years_ of breathtakingly slow, antagonizing development. Okay-not fifteen. Like, three. But still. Too long.

I mean, last year seemed so promising: Kyoko finally stopped referring to Ren as her senpai and instead as her _friend_. Her friend! Ren could not stop smiling for an actual week. But then, of course, they both ended up slammed with work-Kyoko having enough for Lory and Sawara-san to finally assign her a manager (thankfully a very well qualified woman instead of some handsome heartthrob type). And since then their relationship has remained practically stagnant

Sure, they've seen each other every once in awhile. But they've never had so much time apart, I don't think. Not the best thing for budding relationship. Ren has had many women make their advances on him and has been turning them down with grace. But Kyoko is a rogue bullet. I never know what to expect from her.

Especially now.

So as I re-approach the room: I don't know if I should even hope for anything. According to Kyoko's manager she's not dating-but that by no means reflects the girl's feelings on the inside. What if she met someone else? Someone she sees more often. _What if I walk in and find a room with only Ren_.

God. He would never forgive me. I've spent the last year encouraging him in maintaining a friendly relationship with Kyoko because I was sure she reciprocated some sort of feeling for him. But what if I was wrong? I would need to move to-

"Yashiro-san?"

I look up. Kyoko's manager stares at me, blinking slowly. When she realizes she has my attention, her eyebrows furrow together and she tilts her head. "Is everything alright?"

 _Is everything alright_? How can she ask me that? Does she not harbor the same fears as I do, but hers directed at Ren? Or was pulling Ren here today one of the biggest mistakes of the year? "I-I...it's..ummm..." I point a finger helplessly at the bright pink door. "I'm...uh..."

She smiles and shakes her head. Then she starts in the direction of the LoveMe! Room without hesitation. I can't help but follow. There's something about that woman that's just so calming. I guess that's why she was put with fly off the wall Kyoko. The President chose well. "I was just there," she explains over her shoulder. "We've got nothing to worry about."

 _We_. I breathe with a sigh of relief as the woman in front of me swings the door open. She said _we_ have nothing to be worried about. I'm not going to be fired.

The door opens and we step in. 

It takes everything in me not to squeal. This- _This_ is development. It may not seem like much but I know this is only going to be the start of something big. Bigger Ren coming out as Cain Heel. Bigger than Kyoko calling Ren her friend. I titter quietly and beside me Kyoko's manager smiles at our charges:

Kyoko: sitting all curled up on Ren's lap, her head resting against his chest. Ren: His arms wrapped around Kyoko's waist, pulling her closer. Both of them have gentle smiles on their faces.

In that moment they look like they're more than friends. More than dating. They look like they would belong in a fairy tale; the kind of story that Kyoko adores-the one where the prince and the princess are in love with a happily ever after. Just like they deserve.

Ren and Kyoko's road to together will be anything but easy. But seeing this: they're going to make it through. Even if they will wake up any minute from now and start making loud excuses for the sake of both me and Kyoko's manager. Even if they don't see each other for another long while. They're going to make it.

My grin hurts my cheeks as I clasp my hands to my chest. I wish I had my- _Click_ -phone. I turn to the suited woman beside me and watch as she takes a few more pictures, soft clicks sprouting from her phone. "For prosperity's sake, _"_ she whispers.

I nod knowingly. _I was thinking the exact same thing_.

That's when I notice a pair of scripts laying on the floor, forgotten. The secret project Ogata-san swore Ren and me into secrecy about. Except Ren only has one script... I look closer. The other bears the name of one of the supporting characters.

Kyoko's name is scrawled underneath.

 **~FIN~**

 **A/N: Today was late and I apologize but at the same time I have a migraine so, nyah. It's kind of short but if it wasn't...Yashiro would be a mess and I wouldn't know what to do with him.**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	16. Fluster

**Fluster**

 **A/N: Welcome to Day FIVE where the word of the day is "Fluster" and I by no means make either part of the ship flustered. Instead, I opt for someone else. You're welcome. Hope y'all are injoying your stay in KyokoRen Week (even though I'm a day late and being a party poop)!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

 **. . .**

"Kanae, can I ask you a question?"

I look up from my lunch, my hand still poised over the bento the set provided. "Hmm?"

Hiou pauses for a moment, concentration crossing over his features before red flushes his cheeks. _Is he embarrassed about something_? I'm about to let him off the hook of his question but he looks straight at me with determined eyes. " _IsTsuGarenthekiofmayoinrsin?"_

I blink.

However, he's not deterred. As he recollects himself quickly, gripping his fists at his sides and straightening himself out in a movement that for a moment reminds me of Kyoko in her moments of stress. Which only brings to question: _what could Hiou possibly be stressed about right now?_ The drama?

" _Is Tsuruga Ren the kind of man you're interested in_?"

As quickly as he blurts the question, weird shadow falls over his face. Like he regretted asking it immediately. But unable to help myself, I end up barking out a laugh in spite of myself. "Tsuruga Ren? Nope. Not possible."

Hiou's eyes go wide and for a moment I think his eyes flicker to something behind me. But perhaps that's just my imagination. He looks back to me, unbelieving. "N-Not possible?"

I nod, confused by the line of questioning. We've managed to avoid the topic of Japan's number one actor for so long...and now Hiou decides that he's a fan? Is it somehow wrong that I don't have a bumbling crush on the guy? Must be because Tsuruga is in the area filming... "Besides, even if I was interested in the guy- _and I'm not_ -it doesn't matter. He's interested in someone else."

"Someone else," he repeats blankly. And again. He looks behind me. I even feel a sort of unbalanced presence behind me. But the only one who usually inspires such an intense aura is...Kyoko. And I'm ninety percent sure that she went to school today. "And that would stop you?"

I close my eyes and sigh, thinking back to Maria's Grateful Party. And how Tsuruga put himself into the position of being the first one to give Kyoko a present for her birthday-and even knowing her birthday before I did. I tighten my grip on my chopsticks. _It still pisses me off_. "It's an issue of _who_ exactly he has his eyes set on..."

" _Who_ he has his eyes set on?" He stares at me blankly.

"Well, yeah. You usually don't go after the guy your best friend is in love with."

A moment of silence falls over us as Hiou's face twists in confusion. "Yo-Your...best...friend?" Recognition flickers over his features and his eyes go wide. "Demon-san is in love with Tsuruga Ren?!"

Raising an eyebrow, I take the opportunity to drop my utensils from my grasp and fold my arms over my chest. There he goes with that Demon rap again. "Why do you still call Kyoko 'Demon' Aren't you over that yet?" Honestly, he's been holding this grudge for almost two years now.

But he's not listening. Instead, he keeps rambling onto himself. "Kyoko is in love with Tsuruga-san. Tsuruga Ren is in love with Demon-San!" Hiou looks to me, a stupidly happy grin on his face. But then he turns his attention once again to a place behind me. So there is someone there. " _Is it true_?"

 _True_? I turn around in my chair, half expecting to see a mortified Kyoko-blaringly mad at me for divulging her secret (as well as my own speculation about Tsuruga) to Hiou. Instead, I see Tsuruga himself leaning against one of the pillars, a pleasant smile plastered on his face. I cringe and plant my feet into the ground. _He has the same aura as Kyoko_.

"How long have you known, Kotonami-san?"

Known? You mean like it hasn't been obvious? "Known about what," I try to joke feebly, my face going hot. "It's all just speculation?"

If even possible, his smile widens and gains a sense of glittering. Behind me I hear Hiou cease up. Good. Now he should know not to address a man whose secrets were just spilled. "Speculation?" Tsuruga repeats. "Speculation about?" His smile drops and he raises a deadly eyebrow. "Her feelings? Or mine?"

I try to swallow but my mouth is regrettably dry. Backing my chair against the table, I raise my hands in surrender. "Ummm," my voice cracks, "yours?"

Something flickers across his face and in that instant I feel the tension in the room drop. His face falls into a more natural position. And for a second I swear a real smile plays at the corners of his lips. "Really?"

I nod quietly. Did he not notice? Is he just as blind as Kyoko in regards to her obvious crush on him? Before I have the opportunity to ask him-he turns and stalks away, a unfamiliar bounce in his step. "Your welcome," I call weakly, glad to finally start regaining feeling to my legs. As his figure disappears from view, I let out a sigh of relief and turn back to the table and rest my face down.

"So I'm guessing Tsuruga-san _does_ like Kyoko?"

It takes me a second to digest Hiou's question. But I nod my head against the hard surface. "Yep."

"That's nice."

Once again I nod. But I cannot help but notice a sinking feeling in the bottom of my gut:

 _Somehow this is going to bite me in the butt._

 **~FIN~**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	17. The Greater Good--Magic

**The Greater Good**

 **A/N: Welcome to Day Six where the word of the day is "Magic" and I just happen to be magically late again! *sighs* It's been a long few days. Please enjoy the last swings of KyokoRen Week!**

 **. . .**

People do a lot of strange things when they think children aren't looking.

Take onee-sama and Ren-sama. Both, I think, are perfectly respectable people. After all, Grandfather hired both of them by his own hand. And he trusts the two of them to watch me on their rare off days together (I, of course, trust them but my opinion doesn't mean all that much in regards to who's responsible and trustworthy for Grandfather to ensure I don't get kidnapped or something equally horrible). Except...whenever they think I'm preoccupied with sleep or my spells or something-their whole dynamic changes.

It's then I realized that onee-sama was in love with Ren.

Of course I then stopped doing my usual activities to their full extent and instead began simply _pretending_ to do them. Instead, I decided to eavesdrop and watch them as secretly as I could. They smile and joke with each other and relax in a way that very few people get to see often (I'm one of the few). Ren, a little more relaxed than normal. Which is nice. The smile he gives Kyoko..however...is similar to the one he give me. Just a little more...special.

Then I realized that Ren-sama is in love with onee-sama.

But I think the most surprising part is that I'm perfectly okay with it. _Imagine that_. Ren-sama is in love with someone that's not me and I'm fine. Onee-sama is a perfectly wonderfully lovely girl and by all means is worth of his affections (I gather that she's been through a lot from the way Grandfather talks about her on the phone). However, there is **one** __thing that I'm upset with...

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that makes it okay that they're not together. People so obviously in love with each other should be together. After all, isn't that the point of all the romance dramas Grandfather watches?

So, you see, I devised a plan to help them along:

I cast a spell.

Not a love spell-the ones I know are all love-at-first-sight spells. Knowing my luck, Grandfather would walk in as soon as it was cast and end up the recipient of one of his talent's affections (then it would _really_ be a sticky situation). No, I was smarter on that. I cast a spell that was nothing out of the normal. Something that probably nobody would notice. Probably. I think. I mean, it was a simple spell. All I had to do was enhance a personality trait for a few hours. Simple. Easy. Onee-sama would scoff at how easy it was to create the incantation. But...not really. I mean, it was directed at her.

I kind of sort of cast the spell to make her a little more clumsy.

It's not that much of a stretch. My beloved adopted sister is not by any means naturally graceful. I mean, she is. Totally. Especially on her shows. Especially when she's working. But when she's just with me and Ren? Totally tripping over everything. Banging her legs against side tables. Tripping over practically nothing. It definitely takes effort for her not to come over and not end up having messed up something that regular people would get right on the first try.

Then again. Onee-sama isn't normal and that's what I love about her. It's what lets her be such a good older sister. We're on the same wavelength (does that mean I'll become clumsy as I grow older? I hope not)! But moving on-my spell!

The intent is to somehow manage to push them into a scene like the ones in Grandfather's dramas. Something cheesy, like Ren catching a falling Kyoko in his arms! And she would blush and something and by the end they would kiss. Or...something like that.

It started working almost as soon as I finished the incantation; the next moment was filled with a loud shout and a thump. We were playing Hide-and-Seek and I was supposed to be counting. "Is everything alright?" I called out, running back into the living room. "Was that you, Kyoko-chan?" I only got a muffled groan and when I turn the corner, I realized why. There was Kyoko, all sprawled out on the floor with Ren kneeled down with a mightily concerned look on his face. _Her_ face smushed against the ground. Her butt in the air. And her knees, by the look of it, were probably going to bruise. "Onee-chan?"

Ren looked up at me and shook his head. "I don't think Mogami-san will be up for playing games any more tonight." Then he turned his attention back to the girl on the ground. He reached out a hand and tousled her hair. "Mogami-sannn, are you okay?" There was a slight whine in his voice. My jaw dropped.

Kyoko groaned and tried to push herself up from the ground. She failed, collapsing once again to the plush carpet. Must not be so plush, though when you have your body slammed against it. "I'm okay!" She called out, voice muffled.

I chewed at my lower lip. I thought that maybe the spell wasn't as good of an idea as I thought. After all, onee-sama ended up hurt. And it looked like it was bad. "Onee-sama?" My chest squeezed and I felt like I was little again, blaming myself for mother's death.

"Maria-chan, can you go find someone to help?" 

I didn't need to be asked twice and bolted from the room, not even looking back. In fact, I went straight to the one person who would understand exactly what I did. And exactly _why_ it needed to be done. Grandfather.

Sure, he told Ren and Kyoko that he was busy today. All day. Do no interrupt. But I know he's just messing with Natsuko in the pool or something. That's what he always does on his days off. That, or watch romance dramas for hours on end. So I burst into Grandfather's office and let the doors fly open.

"Kyoko-chan got hurt!"

A half a dozen faces then turned to face me. All of them unfamiliar. All of them just as confused as I was. Apparently today was a day for Grandfather to _actually_ get work done for a change. "I, umm." I backed up, trying to think of a way to talk myself out of this one. I came up blank.

"Maria."

Grandfather's voice. I froze and turned in the direction of his voice. "Yessss?" I asked as sweetly as I could, swaying on my feet. As if I hadn't just totally probably ruined some business thing that was in the works.

He studied me for a moment before nodding. "Perfect timing," he concluded, rising from his seat. He motioned to the others then and they also rose. "Take us there."

I looked at them with wide eyes. Take. Them. _Them_. This wasn't part of the plan and I wasn't exactly sure that these strange people were going to be any help in fixing the spell I cast on onee-sama. But whatever Grandfather asked me to do, I did. So this was no different.

I led the group of people in business suits and my grandfather, dressed in a more colorful, metallic variant of their suits to where I left Kyoko. And I prayed to all of the mystical figures that I could think of in that moment to make sure I didn't just embarrass my older sister.

We reached the corridor where I left the almost-not-quite couple; I stop. Behind me I heard the strangers also halt, consequently running into each other. But they didn't make a noise. None of us did. Because the sight in front of us was too good to disturb:

Ren had picked Kyoko up from her sprawl and cradled her into his arms. In the silence of the scene we could hear him murmur into her ear while he rubbed her back. Squeezed her closer to him. And Kyoko was nursing her wounds, rubbing absently at the angry red carpet burn on her palms and knees. She snuggled closer to him. Closed her eyes.

He kissed her hair.

Opened his eyes.

Saw us.

His eyes narrowed at me but instead of shouting and risking waking Kyoko, he simply jutted his head forward. It told us everything: _Move_.

And we did. Quickly. Ungracefully. We stumbled out of the room. I, with a stupid smile on my face.

Because I, Maria Takarada, had just successfully used my magic for the sake of the greater good.

 **. . .**

 **A/N: OH. MY. GOD. Maria is such an introspective, talkative little , that was so unexpected to write?**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns?**


	18. An Image From the Past

**An Image From the Past**

 **This is for Obi-Wann-Cannoli on tumblr! I might...do a different take on this later that will be subsequently longer. But I needed to get a story out of me for personal reasons and figured I could do this one easily enough! Thank you for your patience! :)**

 **. . .**

It was stupid of me to think that after all these years, she would be in the same place.

People change. I know I did.

But at the bottom of my heart, when I the boss told me that this job would be filming on location in Kyoto, I could not help but wonder... Could not help but _hope_...

So when the director calls a halt to filming for the day because of some rain (it was something I personally think we could have worked through but I was not going to fight it) I found myself wandering through town. Nobody would recognize me because I was no longer Hizuri-san's son. No-he's hidden inside of me. Tsuruga Ren. That is me now. And I wander through town until I make it to the hotel I remember vividly from my younger years.

I just stand outside and look at the building from the outside. It still looks the same and yet I cannot find it in myself to see if the people are the same. It's not like I can waltz right in and ask for Mogami Kyoko. I'm a stranger here.

"SHO-KUN, You left me at sc-ahh!"

A girl's frantic shouts come to a screeching halt as she runs into my stopped figure and before I have a chance to realize what is happening, I pull the girl into my arms to stop her from falling. "Are you alright?" I finally manage to croak out.

She just blinks at me. Golden eyes. Certainly an uncommon trait? "N-No?" Yet as soon as the words are out of her mouth she shakes her head frantically. "No! I mean, I-I'm okay! I just...I wasn't watching where I was running." The girl wiggles out of my grasp and bows deeply, ignoring the fact that it's still raining and her school uniform is soaked through. She must be freezing. "I'm very sorry."

When she rights herself up and looks me in the eyes-I still cannot shake it. Her eyes look familiar. I must be looking strangely at her because she flinches under my gaze. "Di-Did I hurt you?" Her head tilts as she tries to asses my so called injuries. "You can come inside and the okami-san can fix you up good as ne-."

"Yo, Kyoko."

She flinches again and this time an unfamiliar look flickers in her golden eyes, turning them a deeper amber as she turns to the bored boy standing in the entryway of the building. He wears a matching male uniform for the same school. Impeccably dry. "Tha-That's because you took my umbrella and left me alone at school, Sho-kun." A whisper of a whine tinges her words. "I had to walk home alone."

It is then I realize who she is.

A girl with golden eyes and dark hair (though the latter is quite common). She has a boyfriend named Sho. And lives here. At the inn. The girl in front of me. She's Kyoko-chan.

 _She's actually here_.

"Walking home in the rain or not, my mom has chores for you before the dinner rush."

The girl-Kyoko, looks back at me helplessly. "A-Are okay, sir?"

Okay? I'm _fantastic_. I just found my childhood best friend and love. I want to break out into a smile and just pull her into my arms. But...I can't, I remember suddenly. _I am Tsuruga Ren_. Not Hizuri Kuon. Not 'Corn'. Not until I can make my name for myself and prove that I am not my father. So instead, I force myself to nod quickly. "I'm alright, go ahead," I say carefully. "I don't want to get you into any trouble."

Kyoko looks relieved and nods quickly before turning back to the boy. Her 'Sho-chan'. Her prince from ages ago. Seems like his princely image is getting to his head, especially considering that he let a young girl he supposedly loved walk home in the rain. Alone. Without an umbrella. But that isn't any of my business.

So I turn back from the hotel. Back to being _just_ Tsuruga Ren.

 _God_.

I have to get used to this.


	19. Repercussions

**Repercussions**

 **For MyLuckTookAWalk-late, as per my usual. And thank you for encouraging me to post on on top of tumblr! Love you lots! I'll get to the other prompts later!**

 **. . .**

"Have you lost _your damn mind_?"

I shrink away from my senpai and look carefully down at my shoes. This is different from the usual times he's mad at me-I can't feel the vengeful hate waves drilling themselves in my direction. And I can't sense the Demon King here like when Cain was around. Instead, it feels like a cold wave washes over me as his tall frame towers over me. "I-I'm sorry, Tsuruga-sannnn."

And in that instance the wave drops.

When I look up, Tsuruga's face is twisted in pain. But only for a second. Guilt and shame seem to take up residence across his features. In a way that looks oddly familiar in a way that I just _can't_ place my finger on.

"I am _so_ sorry, Mogami-san."

 _Hmm_? My eyebrows pull together and I blink. Wasn't I the one who was supposed to be apologizing? I was the one who messed up today. Tsuruga-san was just being protective and angry about my faults like he normally is. So what changed this time?

"Tsuruga-san?" No response. "Tsuruga-san, are you alright?" I carefully reach my hand out to reach for his arm but he gracefully moves just out of reach. Avoiding my touch. A pain swells in my chest. _He never does this_. What I did this time...I never realized that it could have so much repercussions. _If I knew it was going to push my senpai away from me..._

The best option for me, then, is to leave. Give him space. Fix today's mess on my own. And maybe tomorrow I will be able to make amends and have him trust me again. But before I have the chance to turn and walk away, I feel a familiar pair of arms wrap their warmth around me. I am pulled flush against Tsuruga-san's chest and I feel his lips on my hair and it takes everything in me not to go weak in the knees. _I'm so close to him_.

"Don't scare me like that, _Kyoko_."

 **~FIN~**

 **Yay for open endings and vague (lack of) plot! That's what a drabble is, no?**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	20. Of All Things

**Of All Things**

 **At First I had no idea how to tackle the prompt. But it's now 3 AM and inspiration struck. For MyLuckTookAWalk who is blessedly patient time after time.**

" **We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?"**

The roar of thunder drowns out my initial groan of frustration. And as it quiets down, I continue to stare at my partner-in-crime and senpai down _in character_ , nonetheless. Setsu's signature whine bubbles up from my throat as I try to hide my disbelief. "Ni-sannn, we're in the middle of a thunderstorm-and you want to stop and feel the rain?"

Out of all the things Tsuruga-san has done as Cain, I have to say this takes the cake. Losing himself into his darkness is one thing. A thing I can understand and relate to. But stopping in the middle of a storm with arms wide open when we are _supposed_ to be getting back to the hotel? I cannot and will not understand. The longer we stay out here, the bigger possibility we have of Tsuruga getting sick. Which complicates the schedule of not only Cain Heel but the megastar himself. Not to mention the increasingly uncomfortable aftermath of tight fitting leather becoming wet...

" _Doesn't it feel like a cleansing_?"

He speaks the words in Japanese, a polar opposite to the English we usually speak to maintain our appearances. The tone, however, is not Cain nor Tsuruga-san or any other character I've had encounters with.

But he also doesn't sound like the stranger weighted with sadness.

The voice is still a stranger to me and I cannot help but hope that this is my senpai trusting me with a little part of his true self. The man behind the mask of Tsuruga Ren.

So instead of allowing Setsu to continue her annoyance streak, I cool my previous frustration. Smile and drag my way through the rain until I'm at his side. I put an arm on his arm and am trying to come up with the words to convince him to come back with me to the hotel but before I even have the opportunity to open my mouth-he looks away from the sky and back down at me.

"You're wet." He blinks and his arms drop from their outward position to his side. And then there is a flicker in his eyes and I see the Tsuruga Ren I've been getting to know for the past year. And quickly enough, he reverts back to the Heel's English: "Let's get you home and dry."

He offers me his arm, which I graciously accept with a relieved smile. We continue our saunter home, the rain letting up just a little bit and the thunder roaring in the distance.

Of all the versions of Tsuruga-san that I've seen.. _.I think I like this one best._

 **. . .**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	21. Probably, Maybe-- Lie

**Probably, Maybe**

 **A/N: Welcome to Kyoko/Ren Ship week 2017-if anybody wanted to remember, I never actually finished the prompts from last year. I was missing 'truth' so it's only really dreadfully ironic that our first topic is 'lie' this year.**

 **So I covered both topics (kinda) and I hope you guys like it!**

At first, it was really easy to lie about my feelings for Tsuruga-san.

Kinship and respect feel so much alike to love to the hardened heart. So I lied to myself to protect my own broken heart and I lied to everybody else to maintain this same front.

It was easy, still, when I accepted Tsuruga-san as a teacher as well as a friend. Nobody blinks an eye when adamant affection is translated and displayed as a close friendship (in hindsight- _some_ people blinked their eyes but goodness knows I was focused on a hundred million other things).

And then Cain and Setsu happened.

It became nearly impossible to hide my feelings. President Lory had me figured out and yet by the skin of my teeth, Tsuruga-san never put the same pieces together (but maybe that's because he had his own demons to deal with).

So I just kept lying.

(To make it easier for Tsuruga-san.)

(Probably.)

I used this love to cultivate myself. Establish my very own Mogami Kyoko that nobody could take away from me. But whenever Tsuruga-san comes around-everything falls to hell. My cheeks go red and I stutter and I use every power of my being to try and act as we used to when we were on set together. And sometimes I think he's getting a hint of my feelings-but he just keeps smiling and never leaves me.

 _Sometimes I think he's going to say something to be about it. But he'll stop himself and shake his head and maybe change the topic. He smiles, of course._

And I get hopeful that maybe he's lying about something, too.

(At the back of my mind, I know better than to hope.)

But one day I'll stop with all my silly lies.

And I'll tell the truth.

(Probably.)

 **~FIN~**


	22. Jealousy

**Jealousy**

 **A/N: This one is for mustardan-thanks for not being bothered by my teasers at 3/4 in the morning my time on tumblr, lol.**

 **Will be trying to catch up on all I'm behind on.**

 **Spoilers for Ch. 248.**

 **. . .**

At first glance, he hoped it was photoshopped.

On second glance, he knew it wasn't.

There it was, clear as day: Sho Fuwa, number one bastard in Tokyo (at least, in his mind), leaning down and kissing Kyoko. On the mouth.

He looked up to the President. "I presume it was Ruto-san that took this picture for you."

Lory said nothing.

"It's the same night, isn't it? The night Mogami-san's mother had... That interview..." His heart pounds in his chest. Even though he was asking the questions-he didn't have to. He already knew. "That's what she was wearing when-"

"You know, things might be easier to answer of you finished your sentences."

 _It's the same night, isn't it? The night Kyoko's mother declared she had no children. That's what she was wearing when I found her that night. The night..._

He remembered that night clearly. He remembered the haunted look on her face when she sat alone on the bench. It must have been shortly after the incident in the photo. He remembered that she hadn't told him anything about what had upset her.

He remembered clearly feeling so goddamned pleased with himself for being a distraction to her pain.

And he let himself be pleased because it seemed like he saved her that night.

Ren turned the photo over on the bar. Once again, he looks his boss in the eye. This time, he's looking for answers. "Why are you showing me this?"

Lory hummed to himself and crossed his legs carefully. "An exercise."

"An exercise?"

"What do you see in this photograph?"

His hands tighten into fists. What does he see? He sees Sho kissing Kyoko. Taking advantage of Kyoko. Taking advantage of Kyoko in a time of despair. _He sees a man taking advantage of a woman._ Or maybe... A man trying his hardest to reach out to a woman he-

Nope. He wasn't going there.

Unsatisfied with the actor's reaction, Lory shifts gears. "Okay, change of strategy. What do you _feel_ looking at this photograph?"

Ren finches. "I-I feel..."

In his head his first instinct was to lie. It always is. But the boss knew him better than that. The last time he tried to lie how was through the president, Ren ended up in an acting slump with Katsuki. Last time he tried lying about his feelings to someone else, he ended up pinned to a bed by someone who should have never been beneath him to begin with.

So he started over.

He felt... Betrayed? Kyoko promised him she would never allow herself to be tainted by Sho Fuwa advances again. Hurt? Kyoko didn't feel close enough to him to disclose this information to him later that night. Lost? He thought Kyoko felt something for him like he felt for her.

He felt...

Lory leaned over. "Ren, I think... The word you're looking for is jealous. This picture makes you _jealous_."

 _Jealous? No that's not It._ Ren's fists were heavy in his lap. He wasn't jealous. Jealous was what happened when you don't trust your partner's judgment or attachment to you. Jealous wasn't Ren Tsuruga-Jealous was Kuon, not understanding why Rick could figure out life but couldn't. Jealous was Cain Heel being overprotective of Setsu. Jealous was...

"I-I'm not jealous."

"Yeah, that hesitation is the sound of a man totally sure of himself."

Ren tried again. "I'm not... Jealous. This photo doesn't make me _jealous_."

Lory nodded. "So you're not jealous of Sho Fuwa?"

"Why would I be J-jealous of Fuwa?" He couldn't hide the shake in his voice. His acting wasn't going to help him tonight. But then again, did he really expect it to? There was no reason for him to be jealous of Sho Fuwa. Not now, anyway.

"Jealous that he has Kyoko."

He flinches. Lory had to do it; he had to hit Ren where it hurt. "He doesn't _have_ Kyoko. Nobody does," Ren bites.

"But if he did?"

"If he did? Stop with the damn speculation. He doesn't. He won't. Kyoko wouldn't-" he stopped himself. He knew exactly how he would have finished that sentence: _Kyoko wouldn't betray me like that_. Ever since he forced her to promise him that the incident with Sho would never happen again-he had been possessive. To a fault. For no reason, even. Because you're not supposed to own a person like that.

You're just supposed to love them.

Lory smiled, an unknown _something_ glittering in his eye. He leans over the bar and flips the photo back over. "If Kyoko decided today that she was in love with Sho Fuwa and Show Fuwa was in love with Kyoko, would you be able to say in good faith: congratulations, I wish you well?"

Ren looked down, away from the prying eyes of the president. Instead, he found himself staring at the picture again. Was it really so bad to lie again even though he promised he wouldn't? He let out a shaky breath. "Yes. Of course." After all, wasn't that what love was supposed to be? Selfless giving when all you wanted was to take? And have?

He hadn't even had the chance to try and have.

And now this.

Silence hung in the air.

His vision blurred and once again, Ren reached across the bar. He turned the photo over once more. "No." He swallowed everything he thought he knew of love. "No I wouldn't." Ren paused.  
"That makes me a bad person, doesn't it?"

Lory smiled. "No, that's what makes you human. A human in love, too." He leaned back against the bar and contemplated the haunted look on Kuon's face. "So I'll ask you once again: what does this picture make you feel?"

"I-... I th-" Ren stopped and straightened out, looking back up. "It makes me jealous."

"And what are you going to do about it?"

Ren let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. What was he going to do? When he told Ten to tell Lory that he was ready-ready to pursue Kyoko in a romantic manner...he didn't have a plan. He still didn't.

What he did know, is that he still had something he needed to do.

Something he'd been meaning to do since March.

"I need to go."

 **. . .**

 **A/N: I'm not continuing-but y'all feel free to! Just PM me what you are doing and be free! Write to your heart's content! ;)**

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a Review!**


	23. Music to My Ears

**Music to my Ears**

 **A/N: THANKS to Knight-of-Tuxedo on tumblr this is a thing. I'm not necessarily sure I want this to be a thing. But alas. It is a thing. Please enjoy and try not to kill me for letting this linger with me for, um, one and a half years.**

 **Also don't kill me for making this a literal short drabble with almost nothing to grasp on.**

 **18\. I want to hear you sing**

. . .

The faint sound of music woke him from his sleep.

It stopped as the water shut off in the next room.

He pushed himself up and blinked the sleep from his eyes. The sun was barely rising but the bathroom light across the hall was bright and shining. When the door opened, steam glittered in the light. And there she was.

"Ehhh, did I wake you?" She whispered into the room, pulling her towel closer across her body. "Sorry- Yashiro-san won't be here for a couple hours. You can go back to sleep."

But he shook his head, a grin playing at the corners of his lips. "Come here."

She quirked a brow but said nothing as she wandered back into the bedroom. She hoisted herself onto the bed, careful to keep the towel tight around her body. "You know, I would hate to have to take another shower."

He laughed, playing with the hem of the damp towel. "No, no. Not that. Not right now, at least." He snickered at the last bit, but straightened his smile into a serious line. "I have something I wanted from you. If you let me, that is."

"No, you can't borrow my ring for an impromptu cleaning."

"Kyokooo, I'm trying to be serious."

Her grin sobered and she looked down at her husband curiously. "Yes?"

He took a deep breath, deciding to go for it. He had to know if his hunch was on mark. If that music he heard... "I want to hear you sing."

"Sing?" Her eyes narrowed. "What brought this on?"

Ignoring the question, he brought out his puppy-dog pout. "Pretty please?"

Sighing, she knew she couldn't counter that face. It was her one weakness. So she rolled her eyes and leaned over. She wrapped an arm around his waist and settled her head against his bare chest. Her towel draped open slightly.

And then she continued the song where she left off in the steam-filled bathroom:

 _I let you fly- Now you're gone_

 _While I might mourn_

 _You're better off on your own_

When she was done, she opened her eyes to see her husband with his eyes closed in almost a blissful construction. A moment later, he opened his own eyes with a curious look in his gaze. She arches a brow. "Satisfied?"

He hummed in agreement. "Also thinking of how much it's gonna take me to convince Fuwa to do a collaboration of that song with you."

She shrieked. "Kuooonnnnnn."

 **~FIN~**

 **A/N: Pretty Please Review, Thank you!**


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